The Communist Party of India � Marxist on Monday expressed surprise over the Supreme Court restraining Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK front from going ahead with a state-wide bandh. The CPI-M added that the 'judicial encroachment' was uncalled for.

"We are surprised to see the observation of the apex court. We consider right to organise peaceful protest as a basic right of political parties and citizens. Judicial encroachment is uncalled for," party general secretary Prakash Karat said after the CPI-M's three-day Central Committee meeting in Kolkata on Monday.

Karat said that state transport buses in Tamil Nadu did not run during the day because all major unions decided to go on a strike. "Will the court declare the right to strike illegal? If one breaks the law or resorts to violence, the law should apply, but there should not be any blanket judicial prohibition on the right to protest," He said.

"We don't agree with the Supreme Court which first sought to declare a ban on bandhs, then a ban on hartal and the logical conclusion would be to declare a ban on all forms of protest action," Karat said.

"If there is a policy decision taken by the government, there are opposition parties in the country, there are public organisations who will oppose the government decision," he said.

Karat said the Sethusamundram project and the alignment of the canal were decided by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government. "Now they are opposing the project and playing communal politics," he said.