BJP files caveat in SC over rath yatras in West Bengal

NEWDELHI: West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed a “caveat” on Saturday in the Supreme Court in connection with its “rath yatras” in the state. The move comes a day after the Calcutta High Court directed the state chief secretary, home secretary and director general of police to take a decision on BJP’S rallies by December 14.

The HC bench of two judges had on Friday modified a singlejudge bench’s order that had put on hold the yatra till January 9. It faulted with the single-judge’s reasoning and asked the state officials to sit with three BJP leaders on December 12 and decide on their request for permission.

Apprehending a move by the Mamata Banerjee government to stall the proposed meeting, as fixed by the HC, the party rushed to the top court with the caveat. Filed by advocate Swarupama Chaturvedi, the caveat requests SC not to pass any orders on the state’s appeal without hearing the BJP. This means that the state government would have to give a notice to the BJP in advance before it appeals against the HC order.

While asking the state to take a decision on BJP’S rallies by December 14, the HC had come down heavily on the state for failing to respond to letters of the party seeking permission for its ‘rath yatras’.

The BJP planned three rath yatras across Bengal starting from Cooch Behar on December 7. With the division bench order, the party has already revised its schedule and will finalise the dates after getting a response from the state government officials as directed by the court.