Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction on Monday approached a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court challenging the advisory from Kolkata Police imposing prohibitory orders for 60 days in front of CESC House near busy Esplanade Crossing, which is the traditional venue of the party’s annual Martyrs’ Day event.
The single-judge bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharya admitted the petition, and the matter will come up for hearing on July 15.
Kolkata Police recently issued an advisory imposing Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 (previously Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973), prohibiting the congregation of four or more people in the area in front of the CESC House near busy Esplanade Crossing in Central Kolkata.
Incidentally, the period for which this ban has been issued also includes July 21, the scheduled date of Trinamool Congress’ annual Martyrs’ Day rally.
In its petition, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has specially questioned the justification of imposing the prohibitory order during that period. The petitioner’s counsel, Kalyan Banerjee, a senior advocate and four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member, has described the prohibitory order as “arbitrary” and “contrary to fundamental rights”.
Till 2025, Trinamool Congress had organised its annual Martyrs’ Day rally in front of the CESC House. However, now the party has two factions — the minority one led by Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee and the rebel but majority faction led by expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee.
The Ritabrata faction has already announced that it has got the permission to organise the rally on July 21 this year, but at an alternative location in front of the Mahatma Gandhi Statue on the Jawaharlal Nehru Road.
On the other hand, the Mamata Banerjee faction is adamant about holding the Martyr’s Day rally in front of the CESC House. Now it remains to be seen whether this faction gets the Calcutta High Court’s permission to hold the rally at the same place or is granted a different venue.
(IANS)
