A division bench of Calcutta High Court on Monday ordered that the number of people allowed at the sit-in by the Joint Platform of Doctors (JPD) be reduced to 100 from the earlier limit of 250 set by a single-judge bench of the court.

The order came after the state government appealed before the division bench of Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya against the single bench’s permission to the JPD to hold the sit-in on the RG Kar issue in the Metro channel, the stretch of Chowringee Road opposite Metro cinema.

In the written order, the division bench mentioned that the state’s appeal also flagged “an issue that the Court should not usurp the power of the administrative authorities in taking a decision in the administrative fiat and if plausible or reasonable grounds have been assigned in the administrative order, it calls a minimal interference in the judicial side”.

“We thus modify the order to the extent that instead of 200 to 250 people, should be restricted to 100 as prayed for by the respondents,” the order, issued on Monday, stated.

Kalyan Banerjee, a senior advocate and Trinamool MP who appeared for the state, pleaded that the sit-in be stopped at least on Tuesday and Wednesday (Christmas Eve and Christmas) because a large number of people are expected to gather in the area on the two days.

Banerjee said people also have the right to take part in festivities.

The written order did not prohibit the sit-in on Tuesday and Wednesday. “Apart from the modification as indicated above, the other portion of the impugned order is not interfered with,” the order said.

“As directed by the court, we will restrict the participation to 100,” said Tamonas Chaudhuri, a member of the JPD.

The JPD and Abhaya Mancha on Monday called for another “reclaim the night” on December 31.

“We are requesting the people to take over the streets again at night. We want to welcome the New Year in this way so we get justice,” said Chaudhuri.

The city police had on December 16 denied permission to the JPD to hold the sit-in at the Dorina crossing. An email from the police to the JPD said: “There is every possibility of traffic congestion and inconvenience to general public at large because of the said programme.”

The organisation moved the high court after being denied permission.