Section 49 of Madras District Police Act, 1865

Regulation of public processions, &c., and of carriages and persons at places of public resort. Licenses for use of music in streets.—The Superintendent and Superior Officers of Police may, as occasion requires, direct the conduct of all assemblies and processions in the public roads, streets, or thoroughfares, prescribe the routes by which, and the times at which such processions may pass ; keep order in the public roads, streets, thoroughfares, ghauts, and landing places, and all other places of public resort, and prevent obstructions on the occasion of such assemblies and processions and in the neighbourhood of places of worship during the time of public worship, and in any case when the roads, streets or, thoroughfares, ghauts or landing places, may be thronged, or may be liable to be obstructed ; they may also regulate the use of music in the streets, on the occasion of native festivals and ceremonies; and may direct all crowds of twelve or more persons to disperse, when they have direct all crowds of twelve or more persons to disperse, when they have reason to apprehend any breach of the peace ; and every person opposing, or not obeying the orders so issued as aforesaid, or violating the conditions of such license, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred Rupees. Provided always that nothing in this Section contained shall be deemed to interfere with the general control of the Magistrate over such matters.