The Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued an interim stay on the state’s order, which had declared gatherings of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in government premises with more than 10 people as illegal without prior permission, news agency ANI reported.

A single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna heard the petition filed by the Punashthen Seva Sanstha of Hubballi. Senior advocate Ashok Haranahalli, representing the petitioner, argued that the government’s order requiring permission for gatherings of more than 10 people was a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.