Petitions have been filed in the Calcutta High Court challenging key administrative decisions ahead of the 2026 International Yoga Day celebrations, even as the city gears up for a mega event to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Two separate pleas have been moved before the court— one contesting the Kolkata Police’s decision to close Red Road for an extended period, and another opposing the state government’s directive making participation in Yoga Day compulsory for government employees.
The process of shutting down Red Road, often described as Kolkata’s lifeline, has already begun in preparation for the June 21 event. However, the move has triggered concerns among citizens due to the disruption it may cause during busy weekdays. A lawyers’ association has approached the High Court, questioning what it termed “police overreach” and seeking urgent judicial intervention to prevent large-scale inconvenience to the public.
The second petition targets a directive issued by Nabanna, the state secretariat, which mandates the presence of all categories of government employees at designated Yoga Day venues. According to the June 14 order from the Chief Secretary’s office, participation is compulsory for all— from permanent staff to temporary personnel.
The ‘Coordination Committee,’ representing government employees, has challenged this order, arguing that participation in such events should remain voluntary rather than enforced. The matter is likely to be heard on Thursday in the courtroom of Justice Amrita Sinha.
Despite the legal hurdles, preparations for the Yoga Day celebrations are proceeding at full pace through a joint initiative of the state government and the Union Ministry of AYUSH. On June 20, a unique programme will see participants performing yoga simultaneously on 500 boats on the Ganges. The main event on June 21 will be held at Red Road, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to be physically present. Security arrangements across the area have already been significantly tightened.
Since the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as International Yoga Day in 2014, the Prime Minister has marked the occasion at different locations each year. He observed the event in Visakhapatnam last year, in Srinagar by Dal Lake in 2024, and at the United Nations headquarters in 2023. This year, Kolkata has been chosen as the venue.
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