Hearing a petition challenging the restriction on access to the Bankra Mosque inside the Kolkata airport complex, the Calcutta High Court has declined to grant interim permission to pilgrims to offer prayers there, after the authorities cited national security concerns and the Court referred to a flydubai incident of the previous day; the petition will be heard again on October 7.
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday declined to grant interim permission to pilgrims to offer prayers at the Bankra Mosque, located within the premises of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, and listed the matter for further hearing on October 7, 2026.
The petition, which challenges the restriction on access to the 136-year-old mosque imposed by the airport authorities on security and aviation safety grounds, was heard by Justice Krishna Rao. The State authorities raised concerns relating to national security, and the Court also referred to the flydubai incident of the previous day while declining interim relief.
Petitioners’ case
The petitioners submitted that pilgrims had been offering prayers at the mosque for decades. They said security arrangements had been in place under which personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) would screen the pilgrims, take them to the mosque by bus and drop them back at the main road after the prayers.
It was also submitted that the pilgrims were agreeable to the mosque being shifted to another location. Appearing for them, Senior Advocate Kishore Datta argued that relocation could have been carried out in a systematic manner, instead of abruptly suspending prayers at the mosque.
Security concerns raised by the authorities
The airport authorities submitted that the mosque is located near the runway and raised security concerns, pointing to previous instances in which people were allegedly found on the airport apron. These are the authorities’ submissions and were not adjudicated at this stage.
Additional Solicitor General Dhiraj Trivedi told the Court that the threat perception had changed over the years:
“Before 1993, there were no known security threats. But after the 2025 attack on the Red Fort, the threat perception has increased.”
He added that such a situation arises “only in India”. The Court did not agree and observed:
“No, not just in India. Nowadays, it is happening everywhere. See yesterday’s flydubai incident. You cannot imagine.”
The Court then declined interim permission and posted the petition for further hearing on October 7.
Background of the case
At an earlier hearing, when the Court fixed October 1 for hearing the petition, Senior Advocate Kishore Datta sought protection against any demolition of the mosque while the petition is pending, and said the arrangements that had earlier allowed devotees to reach the mosque during prayer hours had been discontinued. Additional Solicitor General Trivedi, for the authorities, opposed the plea, saying that national security considerations were involved and questioning the basis for such relief, while Additional Advocate General Bilwadal Bhattacharya raised concerns about law and order if access were restored.
Congregational prayers at the mosque, which lies within the airport complex near the secondary runway, were suspended in July 2026 after worshippers were reportedly not issued entry passes, and the closure has since revived the long-standing discussion about relocating the mosque outside the airport premises.
Why the order matters
The Court has refused only interim relief and has not decided whether the restriction on access, or any proposal to relocate the mosque, is justified. The competing claims of religious access and aviation security will be examined when the petition is heard on October 7.
Case Title: Petition concerning access to Bankra Mosque, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata
Bench: Justice Krishna Rao, Calcutta High Court
Date of Hearing: October 1, 2026
Next Hearing: October 7, 2026
Appearances: Senior Advocate Kishore Datta for the petitioners; Additional Solicitor General Dhiraj Trivedi for the authorities; Additional Advocate General Bilwadal Bhattacharya for the State (at the earlier hearing)