Temporary Orders in Urgent Cases – Section 144

Chapter XI (Section 144) empowers authorities to issue temporary orders in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger.

• Empowered authorities: Zila Nazim and Executive District Officer (Both) may issue orders under S. 144; the Executive District Officer exercises this power in the absence of the Zila Nazim.
• Direction of order: May be directed to a particular individual or the public generally (Both).
• Purpose: To tackle urgent cases where there is no other alternative remedy.
• Duration: As a general rule, maximum duration in a month is 7 days; can be extended where there is danger to human life, danger to health, or likelihood of riot/affray (All of these).
• Absolute orders: Power to make an order absolute at once in urgent cases of nuisance and apprehended danger (Both) is available.
• Section 144(3): An order may be directed to a particular individual and not to the public generally, when frequenting/visiting a particular place.
• Section 144(4): The Zila Nazim may rescind or alter any order made under this section on his own motion or on application of an aggrieved person (Both).