The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted permission to the Mamata Banerjee-led Kalighat faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to organise its Martyrs' Day (Shahid Diwas) programme in front of the Birla Planetarium on July 21. However, the court imposed several restrictions to ensure public convenience and maintain law and order.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya allowed the rally on the condition that the gathering must not exceed 3,000 people. The court placed the responsibility for regulating the crowd entirely on the organisers and directed them to ensure strict compliance with the limit.
The court also fixed the timing of the event, stating that the programme can be held only between 12 noon and 3 pm. No meeting or gathering related to the event will be permitted beyond the stipulated hours.
Emphasising the need to prevent disruption to daily life in the city, Justice Bhattacharyya directed the organisers to ensure smooth traffic movement. The court said that even if the programme takes place on one side of the road, vehicles must continue to move normally on the other side, and commuters should not face unnecessary inconvenience.
The organisers were also instructed to coordinate with the police and the administration to manage traffic and maintain law and order during the event. The court made it clear that any disruption or law and order issue arising during the rally would be the responsibility of the organisers.
During the hearing, State Advocate General Surojit Nath Mitra opposed holding the programme at the Birla Planetarium, citing the presence of hospitals and educational institutions in the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, appearing for the Kalighat faction of the TMC, alleged that while permission for their event had faced hurdles, the police had approved an application from the rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. He said the party had traditionally organised Martyrs' Day programmes near Victoria House and expressed willingness to shift the event to an alternative venue, such as the Y-Channel.
At the beginning of the hearing, Justice Bhattacharyya observed that the TMC appeared to have split into two factions following the Assembly elections. He noted that separate large-scale programmes by both groups could cause serious inconvenience to the public and suggested alternative venues such as Dorina Crossing, Dharmatala West, or Hazra.
The State also questioned the maintainability of the petition, arguing that it had not been filed by the main body of the TMC. However, the court rejected the objection and proceeded with the hearing.
After considering arguments from both sides, Justice Bhattacharyya sought clarification from the state administration on any law and order concerns related to the proposed rally at the Birla Planetarium. Following the hearing, the court granted permission for the programme, with the specified conditions.
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