A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court has issued an interim stay on the ongoing hawker eviction drive near Howrah Station in Kolkata. The court’s decision came in response to a petition challenging the state government’s actions and requesting a halt to the eviction process. Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya, presiding over the case, granted the interim stay until the last week of June following a detailed hearing.
The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for June 10. Justice Bhattacharya emphasized the importance of allowing the affected hawkers a fair chance to present their arguments in court. Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, a former CPI-M Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate, represented the petitioners. He highlighted that the hawkers operate their businesses by paying rent to the Hooghly River Waterway Transport, which operates under the West Bengal government.
During the proceedings, Bhattacharya argued that the eviction notices were not properly served to the hawkers, raising concerns about the validity of the eviction process. The court also questioned the railways counsel regarding the urgency of the eviction drive, to which it was mentioned that the drive was part of the cleanliness initiatives under the Amrit Bharat project launched in 2024. The court stressed the need for a fair hearing for the hawkers and directed the representative of Hooghly River Waterway Transport to appear at the next hearing on June 10.
