Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has moved a petition before Calcutta High Court Justice Amrita Sinha, seeking an order directing Speaker Biman Banerjee to allow central forces deployed for the safety of some BJP MLAs to enter the Assembly premises.
A brief hearing of the case took place on Thursday. The judge said she would resume hearing on July 9.
Moving the petition on behalf of the Nandigram MLA, lawyer Joydeep Kar said Bengal and Kolkata Police personnel were allowed at every corner of Assembly, but the Speaker refused entry to central security personnel.
“These security men have to stand outside the House gate in the heat and rain. BJP MLAs also feel unsafe in the absence of security personnel,” the lawyer said.
Kar added: “The security men are allowed up to Gate 2 of the Assembly. This forces the BJP MLAs to enter the House by leaving the security personnel outside. It is a clear violation of the provisions laid down in Article 14 of the Constitution.... Security personnel of the Centre are considered strangers by the Speaker.”
Asked by the judge about the Speaker's discretionary powers in the Assembly, Kar said: “Sections 352 and 360 of the Assembly Rules have given some discretionary powers to the Speaker where the word ‘stranger’ is not properly defined. But Article 21 of the Constitution provides every person the right to safety and security.”
The advocate-general sought time to reply to Kar after which the judge adjourned the hearing to July 9.