Former West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee arrived at the Calcutta High Court in lawyer’s attire to appear before Chief Justice HC Sujoy Pal in connection with a post-poll violence PIL case.
Petitioner alleges post poll violence incidents
The petition was filed by Shirshanya Bandopadhyay, the son of TMC leader-cum-advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay. According to the case details, the petitioner has alleged incidents of post-poll violence in several areas, including attacks on party offices and the displacement of workers.
Mamata Banerjee is expected to present the party’s stance before the Chief Justice’s bench. Senior advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay is also present in the courtroom.
Issues raised by TMC
The Trinamool Congress raised multiple issues before the court regarding the alleged deterioration of law and order in the state following the elections. The party highlighted incidents of post-poll violence, alleging that several AITC party offices were vandalised and targeted by miscreants. It was also claimed that many supporters were unable to return to their homes due to fear and intimidation in several areas.
The party further alleged that women and children were being assaulted amid the violence. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also reportedly informed the court that even members of her own family had not been spared. TMC additionally cited incidents such as the bulldozing of fish markets, including the Hogg Market incident, and raised concerns over alleged arbitrary bulldozer actions in different parts of the state.
Describing the overall situation as one of “lawlessness”, the party accused the administration of failing to maintain order and specifically alleged inaction on the part of the police in preventing violence and taking prompt action against those responsible.
Mamata Banerjee questioned in Supreme Court over SIR
In a related development, in February, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was present inside Court No. 1 of the Supreme Court of India, sitting in the last row for more than three hours as a three-judge bench took up her petition challenging the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bengal.
The bench was led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi.
Mamata Banerjee’s legal education background
Mamata Banerjee, former Chief Minister of West Bengal, holds an LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) degree, which she obtained from Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College in Kolkata, affiliated with the University of Calcutta. She is a trained lawyer and occasionally refers to her legal background while addressing constitutional and legal matters.
