Serampore, September 10 (Daily Kiran) : The Calcutta High Court has intervened to stop a rally planned by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Serampore, scheduled for Friday. This decision came after a single-judge bench had initially granted conditional approval for the event, which was to feature Banerjee as the main speaker.
Earlier on the same day, Justice Sougata Bhattacharya’s single-judge bench allowed the gathering but denied permission for a subsequent public rally. Following this ruling, the state government quickly approached a division bench led by Chief Justice Ravindra Vitthalrao Ghuge and Justice Tapobrata Chakraborty, seeking clarification on a specific aspect of the single-judge’s order.
The single-judge bench had instructed the police to ensure that no untoward incidents occurred during the gathering. However, the state government’s lawyer argued that while the state had no objection to the approval of the meeting, there were concerns regarding the land’s ownership, as it is private property.
The lawyer emphasized that if the property owner refused to allow the use of the land, the police would have no role to play. “The land is used for religious purposes,” the lawyer stated, adding that the police cannot compel the owner to permit a political gathering. “Otherwise, the event should be held elsewhere.”
The property owner had also raised objections to hosting a political event on land designated for religious activities. After hearing arguments from both the state government and the landowner, the division bench issued a stay on the court’s order, scheduling the next hearing for Friday at noon.
Chief Justice Ghuge highlighted the need to consider the public when organizing political events, suggesting that such gatherings should take place in locations that do not inconvenience the general populace. “Please find another location,” he advised.
Leave a Comment