Section 163 imposed in Noida, Greater Noida ahead of Bakrid 2025
Synopsis
Ahead of Bakrid 2025, Noida and Greater Noida are under Section 163 BNSS restrictions from 28–30 May — banning unauthorised gatherings of five or more, drone surveillance, weapons display, and inflammatory social media posts. The order signals how Indian police administrations are increasingly using BNSS's successor powers to pre-empt communal flashpoints during major religious festivals.
Key Takeaways
The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate imposed Section 163 BNSS in Noida and Greater Noida on 28 May 2025 .
Prohibitory orders are in effect from 28 May to 30 May 2025 , covering the Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha) period.
Groups of five or more cannot assemble, protest, or hold processions without prior police permission.
Drone cameras , open display of weapons, public consumption of alcohol, and display of religious banners in public spaces are all banned.
Loudspeakers are prohibited between 10 pm and 6 am ; inflammatory social media posts will attract police action.
Police have appealed to residents to report suspicious activity and refrain from spreading rumours.
The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate on Wednesday, 28 May 2025, imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) across Noida and Greater Noida, banning unauthorised gatherings, protests, and demonstrations ahead of Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha) celebrations. The prohibitory orders remain in effect from 28 May to 30 May, covering the two major satellite towns in the Delhi-NCR region.
What the Order Prohibits
Under the order, no group of five or more individuals may organise any procession, assembly, or demonstration without prior written permission from the Police Commissioner, Additional Police Commissioner, or Deputy Police Commissioner. The restrictions explicitly cover religious gatherings as well as political and civil demonstrations.
The open display or carrying of weapons — including swords, spears, axes, tridents, knives, sticks, clubs, hockey sticks, and flammable or explosive materials — has been prohibited in public spaces. The consumption of alcohol or intoxicants in public places is also banned, and stockpiling of bricks, stones, soda-water bottles, or other hard materials on rooftops or open areas will invite police action.
Surveillance and Media Restrictions
Photography and videography using drone cameras have been prohibited for the duration of the order. Authorities have also barred the display of religious flags, banners, posters, or similar materials on walls, religious sites, or public spaces.
Existing loudspeaker regulations remain in force: the use of sound-amplifying devices is prohibited between 10 pm and 6 am. Anyone found circulating inflammatory speeches, audio clips, videos, or social media posts that could incite communal sentiments will face police action under applicable laws.
Why the Restrictions Were Imposed
Police stated the measures are aimed at maintaining peace and communal harmony during the festive period. The order specifically notes that qurbani (ritual sacrifice), namaz (prayers), and other religious observances are scheduled across the district during Bakrid, and that precautionary steps have been taken to prevent anti-social elements from disrupting public order.
This comes amid a broader pattern of similar preventive orders issued by police administrations across Uttar Pradesh ahead of major religious festivals. Authorities have increasingly deployed BNSS Section 163 — the successor provision to Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure — to pre-empt potential law-and-order situations.
Police Appeal to the Public
The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate has urged residents to comply with all stipulated regulations, avoid spreading rumours, and report suspicious activity to the nearest police station. Enforcement teams are expected to be deployed across sensitive areas in both cities through the duration of the festival.
Bakrid is being observed across Uttar Pradesh and multiple states on Thursday, 29 May 2025. Whether the restrictions will be lifted as scheduled on 30 May or extended will depend on the ground situation, officials indicated.
Point of View
Critics have consistently argued that blanket bans on assembly disproportionately burden ordinary worshippers and peaceful communities. Notably, the order's scope — covering drone surveillance, social media posts, and rooftop stockpiles — reflects a modern expansion of what Section 144 CrPC once covered, signalling how BNSS is being used to widen the administrative toolkit. The real test is whether enforcement is even-handed across communities, or whether the optics of 'precaution' mask selective application.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Section 163 BNSS and why was it imposed in Noida?
Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) is the successor to Section 144 CrPC, empowering a magistrate or police commissioner to prohibit assemblies and activities likely to disturb public order. It was imposed in Noida and Greater Noida from 28–30 May 2025 to maintain communal harmony during the Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha) festival.
What activities are banned under the Noida Section 163 order?
The order bans unauthorised gatherings of five or more people, protests, processions, drone photography, open display of weapons, consumption of alcohol in public, display of religious banners in public spaces, and circulation of inflammatory content on social media. Loudspeakers are restricted between 10 pm and 6 am.
How long will the Section 163 restrictions remain in force?
The prohibitory orders are in effect from 28 May to 30 May 2025. Whether they will be extended beyond that date depends on the ground situation, according to officials.
Who needs permission to hold a gathering during this period?
Any group of five or more individuals wishing to hold a procession, assembly, or demonstration must obtain prior written permission from the Police Commissioner, Additional Police Commissioner, or Deputy Police Commissioner of Gautam Buddh Nagar.
What action will be taken against those who violate the order?
Violators can face police action under applicable laws. Specifically, those found carrying weapons in public, stockpiling hard materials on rooftops, or circulating inflammatory social media content will be acted against. The police commissionerate has urged the public to report suspicious activity to the nearest station.
