Externment for prejudice to public order may stand on independent material despite failure of another statutory ground.

An externment order under the Bombay Police Act can be sustained on an independently supported statutory ground even if another ground fails. For Section 56(1)(bb)(1), the relevant test is whether the person's conduct is prejudicial to public order, including acts that create enmity, hatred, or communal disharmony. The authority's subjective satisfaction will be upheld where it is based on material such as witness statements and surrounding evidence, and will be interfered with only if perverse, unsupported by evidence, or reached without due opportunity. On the facts noted, threats, intimidation, communal instigation, and disturbance of public tranquility justified the externment.

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Issues: Whether the externment order was validly sustained under Section 56(1)(bb)(1) of the Bombay Police Act, 1951 on the basis of material showing activities prejudicial to public order.

Analysis: The Act permits externment on distinct statutory grounds, and failure to sustain the notice on one ground does not invalidate the proceedings if another independent ground is supported by material. For clause (bb)(1), the relevant inquiry is whether the person is acting or about to act in a manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order, including creating enmity, hatred, or disharmony on religious, racial, caste, community, or language grounds. The procedure under the Act was followed, and the authority's satisfaction is interfered with only if it is perverse, unsupported by evidence, or formed without due opportunity. The witness statements and surrounding material showed threats, intimidation, communal instigation, and disturbance of public tranquility, which supported the conclusion reached by the externing authority and affirmed by the High Court.

Conclusion: The externment was rightly upheld under Section 56(1)(bb)(1), and the challenge failed.

Final Conclusion: The order of externment was sustained on the independent statutory ground of prejudice to public order, and the appeal was rejected.

Ratio Decidendi: An externment order may be sustained on a separately supported statutory ground even if other grounds fail, and the authority's subjective satisfaction will be upheld when it is based on material showing conduct prejudicial to public order and is neither perverse nor unsupported by evidence.

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