The high court on Friday directed that notices be issued to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee in connection with allegations that a court order prohibiting the blocking of roads was violated during Trinamool’s July 21 rally at Esplanade last year.
The matter will be heard again on July 3.
Many felt the development could jeopardise Trinamool’s chances of holding its annual Martyrs’ Day meeting this year.
The case has its roots in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2015 challenging the practice of political parties blocking roads for public meetings. The PIL was filed by Rituparna Sarkar Dutta before a division bench comprising then Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
“The PIL was essentially against roads being blocked for political and religious programmes that caused problems for common people. Such events block emergency services and cause inconvenience,” said Srikanta Dutta, counsel for the petitioner, on Friday.
The matter was later heard by a division bench of then Chief Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya and Justice Arijit Banerjee. In an order passed on May 3, 2018, the bench held that meetings, rallies and processions should not be permitted to block major roads. It directed that adequate space be kept available for both pedestrians and vehicles and that ambulances and emergency services must not be obstructed.
The order stated: “Although, ideally, political meetings/rallies/processions should be held on holidays i.e. weekends or other public holidays..., we do not deem it proper to pass any such absolute direction. We leave it to the wisdom of the State administration as to whether or not permission should be granted for holding a political rally/meeting on any particular day... We trust and hope that the concerned authorities shall take an informed and responsible decision... keeping in mind the paramount importance of minimizing inconvenience to the general public… However, we make one thing abundantly clear. No major or arterial road/street must be completely blocked and made inaccessible, whether to pedestrians or to motor traffic, by reason of holding of a meeting/rally/procession.”
The present proceedings arise from allegations surrounding Trinamool’s 2025 Martyrs’ Day rally.
Last year, petitioner Akshay Kumar Sarangi again approached Calcutta High Court.
Advocate Srikanta Dutta, who appeared for Sarangi on Friday, said: “The ruling party had been blocking roads for the event, causing inconvenience to the public. But the July 21, 2025 gathering was an extreme case. It was a remarkable example of violating the court order of 2018.”
The petition was accepted by a division bench of Justices Arijit Banerjee and Apurba Sinha Ray, which directed that notices be issued to the respondents.