Calcutta High Court has emphasized the need for a level playing field among various political ideologies, as it granted permission for a Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) rally to coincide with a Trinamool Congress (TMC) rally on World Tribal Day. The court's decision came in response to a plea by a BJP worker, Swapan Manna, who was initially denied permission to organize a rally at Pingbone Nabkung Ground (Math), Goaltore police station, Paschim Medinipur, on August 9 for World Tribal Day celebrations.
The court, presided over by Justice Jay Sengupta, underscored that both rallies could be accommodated at different time slots to ensure a balanced approach. The court cited an earlier ruling by Justice Rajasekhar Mantha in March, stressing the importance of equal space for all political ideologies in West Bengal.
Justice Sengupta's order mandated police supervision to maintain peace during the events. It specified that the area should be monitored by local police to prevent any disturbances and ordered the petitioner to designate three individuals responsible for compliance with the event's terms and conditions. The court also emphasized that both rallies must not obstruct public activities or exceed permissible noise levels.
The decision stemmed from a petition filed by Swapan Manna, a BJP functionary, who alleged that the State Police had intentionally denied permission for the BJP's gathering. The court's directive compelled the BJP rally to take place from 9 AM to 1.30 PM, followed by the TMC rally on the adjacent ground from 1.30 PM to 7 PM.
Advocates Sourav Chatterjee, Moukh Mukherjee, Pritam Roy, and Soewel Bhattacharjee represented Swapan Manna, while Government Pleader Anirban Ray, along with advocates Amal Kumar Sen and Ashima Das, appeared on behalf of the State. The court's ruling reiterated the principle of equal opportunity for diverse political expressions within the state.
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TAGS: Calcutta High Court level playing field political ideologies BJP rally TMC rally World Tribal Day Swapan Manna permission Pingbone Nabkung Ground Justice Jay Sengupta Justice Rajasekhar Mantha West Bengal police supervision peace disturbances noise levels public activities advocacy Sourav Chatterjee Moukh Mukherjee Pritam Roy Soewel Bhattacharjee Government Pleader Anirban Ray Amal Kumar Sen Ashima Das diverse political expressions.
