Calcutta High Court on Friday allowed environment activist Subhas Dutta to file a petition against the organisers of the symbolic book fair on the Maidan.

Dutta produced newspaper reports and pictures of Wednesday’s symbolic book fair before the division bench of Justice B. Bhattacharya and Justice R.N. Banerjee and said the programme had “lowered the dignity of the court”.

A bench, comprising Justice Bhattacharya and Justice K.K. Prasad, had ruled in January last year that holding the Book Fair on the Maidan would violate the country’s environment laws.

The symbolic fair was organised by a group of writers and publishers, led by mayor-cum-advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya and writer Sunil Gangopadhyay, to push for the reinstatement of the Book Fair on the Maidan.

Justice Bhattacharya said the court could not act on the basis of media reports. “The court has thrown out a tenant from a house on the basis of a complaint by the landlord. But what can the court do if the evicted tenant approaches the landlord and pleads to be taken in as tenant again?” asked the judge.

Dutta found support from mayor Bhattacharyya’s colleagues in the high court — including Saptangshu Basu, who defended the guild in the case against holding Book Fair on Park Circus Maidan. The symbolic book fair had maligned the court’s image, Basu told the court.

Justice Bhattacharya then directed Dutta: “You may file a petition on the issue.”

Basu later asserted: “The high court lawyers should come forward to protest against the organisers of the symbolic book fair. The dignity of the court must be maintained.”

Mayor Bhattacharyya played safe: “Anyone can move a petition. I would comment on this only after receiving a notice from the court.”

Asked whether he would move a plea against the organisers of the symbolic book fair, Dutta said: “I have been discussing the matter with senior lawyers. The petition will be prepared on the basis of their advice.”