CPM politburo member Biman Bose, who in April 2005 was asked by Calcutta High Court to serve a sentence of three days? simple imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 10,000 for inciting popular sentiment against Justice Amitava Lala

Here?s bad news for the organisers of rallies in the city. The scourge of CPM cadres, Justice Amitava Lala, will be back in the city after a brief stay in Allahabad.

The judge, who hit the headlines and incurred the wrath of the ruling party by imposing a ban on weekday rallies in 2003, was transferred to Allahabad High Court a few months ago, much to the relief of many. He?s returning to Calcutta High Court.

Another high court judge, Justice Barin Ghosh, who had been transferred to Patna High Court, and was instrumental in ordering immediate removal of encroachments from Rabindra Sarobar, will also be back soon.

Apart from these two, six new judges are going to be appointed ? two of service judges category and four practising advocates ? in the high court.

With the inclusion of these eight judges, the high court will have 40 judges, against the sanctioned strength of 50. At present only 32 judges are running the court, out of which two are deployed in the circuit bench at Andaman and Nicobar Island on rotation basis. All the eight judges, including Justice Ghosh and Justice Lala, will take charge by December.

?Recently, the Supreme Court issued a circular saying that the judges of the high court should be placed in their home districts, while the chief justices of the high court should be from other states,? said a senior high court officer, explaining the reason behind the fresh appointments.

The Supreme Court is repeatedly asking the high court to start the functioning of the North Bengal circuit bench of the court at Jalpaiguri.