Calcutta High Court on Thursday set aside the permission granted by North 24-Parganas zilla parishad to followers of Trinamul Congress MP Mamatabala Thakur to hold the annual fair of the Matua Mahasangha at Bongoan.

“The zilla parishad has allowed some Mahasangha members to hold the programme based on a 62-year-old rule, which was scrapped after enforcement of the West Bengal Panchayat Act in the 1960s,” Justice Amrita Sinha said while revoking the permission.

Justice Sinha passed the order after followers of Union minister and BJP MP from Bongaon Shantanu Thakur moved the court, pointing out that the zilla parishad had denied them permission to hold the annual event.

Mamatabala and Shantanu head two factions allegiant to the TMC and the BJP, respectively, in the Matua Mahasangha.

The judge asked followers of Mamatabala and Shantanu to file fresh applications with the zilla parishad by March 15 for permission to hold the annual events. The court directed the zilla parishad to decide within the framework of the existing law.