A high court division bench has refused to interfere with an earlier single judge’s order restraining a federation of technicians from creating hurdles in the independent functioning of directors.

The case pertains to a long-standing tussle between a section of directors and the powerful technicians’ federation in Tollygunge, headed by an influential Trinamool Congress leader.

A bench of Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Reetobroto Kumar Mitra on Wednesday heard a petition by the state government challenging an April 3 order by Justice Amrita Sinha.

The April 3 order had restrained the technicians’ federation from interfering with the independent functioning of directors. Justice Sinha allowed the petitioners to file a “comprehensive representation highlighting all grievances” before the secretary of the information and cultural affairs department of the
state government.

The state’s challenge against this order was heard by the division bench on Wednesday. The state’s counsel had argued that it was a dispute between two private parties and the state had no legal obligation to interfere.

The counsel for the federation contended that the allegations of the directors were not true. The arguments were dismissed by the division bench.

The July 2 order by the division bench said: “By the order impugned the learned court had merely directed the secretary, department of information and cultural affairs, government of West Bengal to consider the representations of the writ petitioners
and to intimate the learned court the fate of the said representations on the adjourned date.”

It added: “The learned court is yet to decide the writ petitions finally. In the said conspectus, we deem it fit not to interfere with the order passed by the learned single judge, more so when the direction to consider the representations has no attribute or characteristic of finality and it is not a case that the learned court has decided… finally.”

“In view thereof, no interference is called for in the present appeals. However, the parties would be at liberty to urge the point of maintainability before the learned single judge. With the above observations and directions, the appeals and the applications are disposed of,” said the division bench.

The April 3 order by Justice Sinha came on two petitions by directors who alleged that the technicians’ federation was not allowing them to work independently.

They are part of the Directors Association of Eastern India, which includes some leading names in the industry and has long accused the federation of “ruining” their work environment by imposing its diktats.

The Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI), is headed by Swarup Biswas, brother of senior Trinamool leader and minister Aroop Biswas.

Justice Sinha had directed the secretary to hear all “the necessary parties” and pass a “reasoned” order within four weeks from the date of filing of the representation.

A contempt petition has since been filed, alleging that the April 3 order was not being complied with.

Recently, the shoot of at least three more projects — films, serials and a music video — have been stalled after the technicians did not turn up at the sets. The persons directing the films are among those who have petitioned the court against the federation.

The petition will be heard by Justice Sinha on July 8.