Calcutta HC Refuses to Hear PIL Challenging BJP’s 12 Hr Bangla Bandh

The Calcutta High Court declined to hear a plea on Wednesday (August 28) challenging the 12-hour ‘Bangla Bandh’ called by the BJP.

The court ruled against the petitioner, Sanjoy Das, who had been permanently barred from filing public interest litigations (PILs) before the court in a previous order.

Das, who claimed to be a lawyer practicing at the high court, sought to have the bandh declared illegal. However, a division bench led by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam dismissed the PIL, citing the earlier order that permanently barred Das from presenting any PILs.

This order had also rejected Das’s previous petition, which sought a change of roster for a specific judge handling police inaction/overaction matters. The court found that Das had made false statements in that petition and imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on him.

The bench, which also included Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, criticized Das for abusing the court process, attempting to intimidate the chief justice’s office, and making false statements. The petition was dismissed with exemplary costs.

The bandh, which started at 6 a.m., was organized by the BJP in protest against police actions on participants of ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ or the march to the secretariat. This march was organized by the newly formed students’ group Chatra Samaj in response to the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar hospital.