Kolkata Police commissioner Ajay Nand said on Tuesday that the question of permitting a public meeting in front of Victoria House at Esplanade “does not arise” as prohibitory orders are in place in the area, responding to queries on whether Trinamool’s annual July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally would be allowed there.

“There is an existing prohibitory order in that area under Section 163 of the BNS. The question of giving permission to hold a meeting there does not arise,” the police commissioner said on Tuesday, adding that the order was under proclamation now and a go-ahead would not be granted to anyone.

Section 163 of the BNS, like CrPC Section 144, is imposed to restrict unlawful assemblies of five or more persons, impose curfews and prevent public disturbances.

Mamata Banerjee’s July 21 rally has been the most important event on Trinamool’s annual roster. Other than Trinamool politicians, the “culture clan” that Mamata so assiduously cultivated as chief minister and which has almost entirely deserted her after the electoral defeat used to attend the mammoth gatherings in front of Victoria House.

In the Assembly on Monday, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari challenged Trinamool to organise the Martyrs’ Day rally on the Brigade Parade Ground this time, referring to the indifferent public response to the party’s events in the aftermath of the poll debacle and the split in the leadership.

Kolkata Police issued an order on Tuesday stating that the force had received credible information that violent demonstrations were likely in areas under Bowbazar and Hare Street police stations and the Traffic Guard headquarters.

“Information has been received from credible sources that violent demonstrations are likely to take place resulting in large-scale disturbances of the public tranquility and breach of the peace in the areas falling under Bowbazar Police Station, Hare Street Police Station and Headquarters Traffic Guard which is from K.C. Das Crossing towards Victoria House (CESC Head Office) and its vicinity excluding Bentinck Street,” the order, issued by Nand, says.

It adds: “I, Ajay Nand, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, being an Executive Magistrate for the Metropolitan area of Kolkata as well as in the district of South 24 Parganas… am of the opinion that there is sufficient cause to proceed under the said Section for not allowing any rallies/ meetings/ processions/ dharnas/ demonstrations in the above Area in the Town of Kolkata, so as to ensure immediate prevention of breach of peace, disturbances of the public tranquillity in the said Area in view of the larger public interest.”

Exercising his executive magisterial powers, the police commissioner has imposed restrictions on holding any meeting or gathering in these areas for at least 60 days from July 2 to August 30.

“..From 02.07.2026 to 30.08.2026 or until further order, any unlawful assembly of 05 (five) or more persons, carrying of lathi, any lethal or other dangerous weapons or doing of any act which is likely to cause breach of the peace and disturbances of the public tranquility and disruption of vehicular traffic within the said Area in the town of Kolkata,” the order states.

The police said no alternative venue had been suggested. “It will depend on the applicant who is seeking permission,” Nand said.

The city police chief said notices had been sent to the Trinamool leaders accused of disrupting traffic on Sunday afternoon for measuring the width of the road with a tape as a preparatory move for the July 21 rally.

“Of course there was disruption. Anyone cannot just disrupt traffic to measure the width of a road,” Nand said.

Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen, a key leader of what has come to be known as the Kalighat Trinamool that is loyal to Mamata, was among those who inspected the spot in front of Victoria House on Sunday. She said the Trinamool group had not yet received any notice regarding the purported case against them.

“We have heard that a complaint has been lodged, we are not sure of the sections of the purported case yet. Once we receive a notice detailing such matters, we can react,” said Sen, who was accompanied on Sunday by Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh and former Kolkata Municipal Commission councillor Baiswanor Chatterjee.

Regarding the imposition of Section 163 of the BNS, Sen said: “Yes, we have heard that. History has shown that autocracy and dictatorship do not have the final say, and that it does not take kindly to fascism.”

“This is not a new programme; we have been conducting it for 33 years. We were in power for only 15 of those 33 years. A genocide had been conducted at the site. It is emotive, historically significant and cannot be wished away. It cannot be relocated. This is our only major programme of the year, which Mamata Banerjee leads. We are still hoping good sense will prevail,” Sen added. “We have full faith in the administration, the authorities and the judiciary. We hope this works out.”

On June 25, Mamata had vowed to go ahead with the Martyrs’ Day rally even if only five people showed up and hoped that permission would be granted.

Ritabrata faction

The Ritabrata Banerjee-led rebel faction, which calls itself the “ashol (real)” Trinamool, has also staked a claim on the July 21 event. The faction had initially said it would like to conduct the event at the original venue, but sources within the group had said they would abide by the state government’s instructions on possible relocation.

Opposition chief whip Akhruzzaman, a key leader in the Ritabrata-led bloc, said the “real Trinamool” remained fully committed to conducting the Martyrs’ Day event on July 21. “We are factoring in everything (the Section 163 restrictions) and will conduct a meeting of our national working committee to decide the course of action. We will let you know after we decide,” he said. “But we will have our July 21 programme, without a doubt.”

BJP jab

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said permission had not been granted for the July 21 rally on the basis of a judicial order. “What can the BJP have to say on this? We had to approach the judiciary for permission for most of our programmes (when Trinamool was in power).... We don’t know what they told the court or what their arguments were,” he said.

Bhattacharya, however, added in equal measure: “Having said that, the significance of July 21 ceased to exist when (then home secretary) Manish Gupta — the man who had ordered police to open fire in 1993 (on Congress workers led by Mamata) — was fielded by the Trinamool Congress in an election. He became a minister and was eventually sent to the Rajya Sabha,” he added.

“In recent memory, July 21 had become a platform for political manoeuvres, song and dance, celebrity appearances,” the BJP leader said. “The less said about such things, the better,” he added.