The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress permission to hold Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21.
The high court, however, rejected TMC’s plea to hold the rally at the traditional venue in front of the CESC House near Esplanade in Central Kolkata.
A single-judge bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharya granted conditional permission to Mamata faction to hold the rally at Birla Planetarium.
The first condition is to limit the number of participants in the rally, which the court clearly said should not exceed 2,500.
At the same time, the gathering will be restricted to one of the two lanes in front of Birla Planetarium, keeping the other lane free for vehicular movement.
Justice Bhattacharya’s bench also fixed the rally timing and duration from noon to 3.30 pm.
Advocate and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee says, “The Calcutta High Court today has passed an order on the application filed by the All India Trinamool Congress to hold the meeting on 21st July from 12 noon to 3.30 PM in front of Birla Planetarium. Crowd restriction is 2500. One lane of that road would be kept open. The state government did not want to grant any permission… The High Court has granted permission for 2,500 people.”
The state government counsel initially argued and pleaded with the court to restrict the number of participants to 500, considering that there were a number of schools and hospitals near the Birla Planetarium.
The petitioner’s counsel and four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member, Kalyan Banerjee, accused the state government of picking issues and excuses to deny permission for the rally.
He also requested the court to allow a maximum number of participants at 5,000. However, the state government countered that figure and argued that even a gathering of 3,000 people would be a matter of inconvenience for the people.
Finally, Justice Bhatacharya’s bench fixed the maximum number of participants at 2,500. The Bench also directed the police to maintain law and order and ensure that there would be no untoward incident during the event.
Meanwhile, the rebel-majority faction in Trinamool Congress, led by expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, has also sought permission from Kolkata Police to hold a separate rally on the same occasion on July 21 on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in central Kolkata.
The city police have given them permission to hold the event.
(With inputs from agencies)