Bengal BJP files caveat in SC after Calcutta HC order to officers on yatra

The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday filed a “caveat” in the Supreme Court in connection with its “rath yatra” in the State. The move came a day after Calcutta high court directed the state chief secretary, home secretary and director general of police to take a decision on the BJP’s proposed rallies by December 14.

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

Apprehending that the Mamta Banerjee government would stall the meeting as ordered by the high court, the party rushed to the top court with the caveat. Filed by advocate Swarupama Chaturvedi, the caveat requests the apex court to not pass any order on the state’s appeal without giving BJP a hearing. This means that the state government would have to give advance notice to BJP in case it appeals against the HC order.

While asking the state to de– cide on BJP’s rallies by December 14, the HC had come down heavily on the state for failing to respond to the party’s letters seeking permission for the rallies.

The BJP planned three rallies across Bengal. The first was to have started at Cooch Behar on December 7. Armed with the division bench order, the party has revised its schedule and will finalise dates after getting a response from the state government officials as directed by the high court, party sources said.

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