The state on Monday was granted two more weeks to file an affidavit in the high court, stating whether a court order was violated during a CPM rally at the Brigade Parade Grounds on January 13 (A Telegraph picture on right).

The division bench headed by Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya, while granting the state’s plea for time, asked it not to allow parking of vehicles and cooking on the greens during the two weeks.

Environment activist Subhas Dutta moved the court on February 15, alleging that the rally violated a high court order.

The court in September had banned parking within a km and cooking within three km of Victoria Memorial.

Dutta claimed that on January 13, a large number of vehicles used for ferrying rally participants were parked on the Brigade ground. “Hundreds of chulhas burned on the Maidan to cook food for party supporters,” he alleged. Dutta produced several photographs to back his allegation.

He pleaded that the court impose a ban on rallies on the Brigade grounds. “We are not against political rallies, but the venues should be shifted to prevent pollution around Victoria Memorial,” Dutta submitted.

The bench had directed the state to file an affidavit within two weeks. The matter came up for hearing on Monday, when the state sought more time.