Kolkata, July 3 (IANS) A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday directed former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Trinamool Congress’ general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, to file affidavits in a contempt of court case filed against them earlier.

Earlier on June 19, the division bench of the Justice Arjit Banerjee and Justice Apurba Sinha Roy served a contempt of court notice to Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee in a case about the Trinamool Congress annual Martyrs’ Day rally in central Kolkata on July 21, 2025, which contravened the Calcutta High Court’s 2018 order that prohibited political parties from obstructing any major or important road junctions in the city.

The matter came up for a preliminary hearing before the same division bench of Justice Banerjee and Justice Sinha Roy. The bench directed all parties in the case, including Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, to file affidavits in the matter by August, when the next hearing will be conducted.

To recall, in 2018, the erstwhile Calcutta High Court’s division bench of Justice Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya and Justice Arijit Banerjee ruled that no political rally in the city should block any main and important junction.

The erstwhile division bench also ruled that a part of the road should always be kept open for pedestrians and vehicles.

Ambulances and other emergency services must ensure free movement, and if necessary, alternative roads must be arranged to divert vehicles, the erstwhile division bench had ruled.

The court in 2018 had also directed the police to inform the public in advance through the media about traffic diversion plans. In addition, the court said that legal action would be taken against the culprits if there is vandalism, noise or violence during the political meeting or political rally.

Recently, another petition was filed in the Calcutta High Court claiming that the 2018 court order was completely violated in the Trinamool Congress Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21 last year.

In the petition, it was also claimed that the Martyrs’ Day rally by the previous ruling party was conducted by completely blocking an important junction at Esplanade in Central Kolkata, causing immense inconvenience to the public.

–IANS

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