The Calcutta High Court has permitted BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to hold a public rally at Sagar Island after the state administration denied permission. The Court allowed the event with strict conditions, including a 5 pm deadline, a 7,000-person cap, and enhanced law and order arrangements.
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, to go ahead with a public rally at Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas after the state administration reportedly refused permission for the event.
The order was passed by Justice Krishna Rao while hearing a petition filed by Adhikari, which challenged the decision of the local administration denying permission for the public meeting. The petitioner argued that the refusal was arbitrary and violated his right to hold a peaceful political gathering.
After considering the submissions of both sides, the High Court directed that the rally be permitted at Rudranagar Chowringhee in Sagar Island. At the same time, the Court laid down clear conditions to ensure that the event does not disturb public order or create law and order problems in the area.
One of the key conditions imposed by the Court was a strict time limit. The rally must end by 5 pm. This restriction was fixed after senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, appearing on behalf of the West Bengal government, submitted that a time-bound event was necessary to avoid any disturbance and to manage security arrangements effectively.
The Court also placed a cap on the number of people who can attend the rally. As per the order, the gathering cannot exceed 7,000 persons. This condition was imposed to ensure proper crowd control and to prevent any untoward incident in the politically sensitive region.
Emphasising the importance of maintaining peace, the High Court directed the state administration to keep a strict watch at the rally venue.
The Court clearly stated that it would be the responsibility of the authorities to ensure that law and order is maintained throughout the event and that adequate security arrangements are in place.
With this order, the Calcutta High Court balanced the right of a political leader to hold a public rally with the concerns raised by the administration regarding public safety and crowd management.
The decision effectively cleared the way for Suvendu Adhikari to address the public at Sagar Island, subject to compliance with the conditions laid down by the Court.
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