A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court dismissed the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress’ plea to hold the Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21 at the usual location near Esplanade in Central Kolkata. The faction’s petition for the traditional venue was heard by Justice Sougata Bhattacharya. Following the state government’s suggestion of an alternative venue, the bench allowed the rally to take place in front of Birla Planetarium in central Kolkata on the same day.
The court imposed restrictions on the rally at the new venue, limiting the number of participants to 2,500 and confining the gathering to one lane in front of Birla Planetarium to ensure the other lane remains open for traffic. Justice Bhattacharya’s bench specified the rally’s timing from noon to 3 p.m.
During the proceedings, the state government advocated for a participant limit of 500 due to nearby schools and hospitals, while the petitioner’s counsel, Kalyan Banerjee, pushed for a maximum of 5,000 attendees. However, the court settled on 2,500 participants to prevent inconvenience. The police were instructed to maintain order and prevent any disturbances during the event.
The rebel-majority faction within the Trinamool Congress, led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee, secured permission from Kolkata Police to hold a separate rally on July 21 on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in central Kolkata.
