A local MLA has organized an unauthorized road blockade demanding compensation for farmers. The protest has drawn a large crowd,…

Decision Making & Ethics ·Previously asked in JKPSC Combined Competitive Examination (JKCCE) 2025

View the full solved paper: JKCCE Prelims 2025 - GS Paper II (Set B)

Question

A local MLA has organized an unauthorized road blockade demanding compensation for farmers. The protest has drawn a large crowd, blocking a national highway and disrupting public traffic. The situation is tense and politically sensitive.

As the District Magistrate (DM) or Superintendent of Police (SP), what should be your most appropriate course of action?

  1. A. Engage the MLA diplomatically to persuade withdrawal of the blockade, while preparing for legal action and arranging alternate routes for commuters. (Correct answer)
  2. B. Allow the protest to continue since it involves political sensitivities.
  3. C. Arrest the MLA immediately to restore order.
  4. D. Seek written approval from the Chief Minister before taking any action.

Correct Answer

Option A — Engage the MLA diplomatically to persuade withdrawal of the blockade, while preparing for legal action and arranging alternate routes for commuters.

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Engage the MLA diplomatically to persuade withdrawal of the blockade, while preparing for legal action and arranging alternate routes for commuters..

Key Points

  • The correct approach is graded: persuasion first, legal action prepared in the background, and the public's inconvenience relieved at once.
  • Engaging the MLA diplomatically offers a way to end the blockade without a public confrontation that could inflame a politically sensitive crowd.
  • Arranging alternate routes discharges the immediate duty to the travelling public while negotiation proceeds.
  • Preparing for legal action ensures the law is not seen to be suspended for a public figure.

Additional Information

  • Option B abdicates the duty to keep a national highway open, and treats political identity as a licence.
  • Option C (immediate arrest) skips the proportionality that public-order law requires and risks escalating a tense crowd.
  • Option D invents an approval requirement; a District Magistrate or Superintendent of Police already holds the statutory authority and the delay would be indefensible.

*Ministry of Papers worked solution. The Commission has not yet published the official key for this paper; this answer will be reconciled with it on release.*

Topics covered: Decision Making Law & Order Worked Solution