High court extends deadline for meet on BJP rally

KOLKATA: A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday extended the deadline for the meeting between the West Bengal government and representatives of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by a day.

“Responding to a request by the West Bengal government, the division bench ruled that the meeting of the chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of police with representatives from our party has to be held by Thursday (December 13) and a decision reached by Saturday (December 15),” said Pratap Banerjee, himself a lawyer, and one of the three members of the BJP who will discuss the vexed matter.

The state sought more time, arguing that reports from all district superintendents of police have to be collated before meeting the BJP team for discussion.

On December 7, the bench of justices Biswanath Somadder and Arindam Mukherjee had directed the government to hold a meeting with BJP leaders by December 12 and decide on permission for the yatra by December 14.

On Tuesday the court also refused to entertain the government’s opposition to the composition of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation on grounds that two of the members have criminal cases pending against them.

“The bench said the BJP will decide who would represent them,” said Jay Prakash Majumdar, Bengal BJP vice-president.