The Calcutta High Court has granted permission for Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to address a political meeting at Serampore Court Maidan in Hooghly on September 26, but imposed restrictions on the timing, crowd size and movement of supporters. Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya said the programme can be held from 4 pm to 6 pm with a maximum of 1,000 people.
The court also made it clear that no procession can be taken out on GT Road and directed the organisers to ensure that normal traffic movement on the busy road is not disrupted.
Court Limits Gathering to 1,000
The Kalighat Trinamool Congress had sought permission for a gathering of around 2,000 people at the Serampore venue. The state government opposed the larger gathering, citing the limited space at the Court Maidan and security arrangements required for Mamata Banerjee, who is accorded Z-plus security.
The state argued that allowing 2,000 people into the available space could create a risk of overcrowding. Trinamool's counsel Kalyan Banerjee disputed that argument, pointing to previous large gatherings at the venue. After hearing both sides, Justice Bhattacharyya restricted the proposed meeting to 1,000 attendees.
No Procession on GT Road
The latest order follows an earlier legal dispute over a proposed Trinamool programme in Mahesh, Serampore, which was scheduled for September 11. The party had originally planned a procession followed by a public meeting, but police permission for the procession was denied amid concerns about traffic disruption on GT Road.
On September 10, the High Court's single bench had instead permitted a meeting at Jagannath Dev Snan Piri Maidan in Mahesh, between 1 pm and 3 pm, with up to 2,000 people. The court barred the proposed procession on GT Road and imposed other conditions, including restrictions intended to prevent disruption of communal peace.
Earlier Order Faced Challenge
The September 10 order was subsequently challenged before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge. The state government and the trust associated with the adjoining Jagannath temple raised objections concerning the ownership of the Mahesh ground. The division bench later directed the parties to approach the single judge for reconsideration of the matter.
The dispute over the earlier venue ultimately led to the proposed programme being shifted, with the latest order allowing the September 26 meeting at Serampore Court Maidan instead. The court's fresh permission comes with a clearly defined two-hour window, a 1,000-person ceiling and a prohibition on any procession along GT Road.
