Calcutta HC allows Mamata Banerjee's Hooghly rally, bans procession

Kolkata, Sep 10 (UNI) The Calcutta High Court allowed former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to address a political meeting at Mahesh in Hooghly's Sreerampore on September 11, but barred the organisers from taking out any procession.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya granted conditional permission to the Kalighat Trinamool Congress to hold a meeting at the Jagannath Deb Snanpiri Maidan in Mahesh on Thursday. The court directed that the programme be held between 1 pm and 3 pm, and that the gathering not exceed 2,000 people. The Kalighat Trinamool had planned a protest procession from Mahesh to Sreerampore Court, followed by a public meeting addressed by Mamata.

Former Chinsurah MLA Asit Majumdar had approached the police seeking permission for the procession, but the request was not granted. The police had opposed the procession on the grounds that it could disrupt traffic movement along the busy GT Road. The Trinamool subsequently moved the High Court challenging the denial of permission. While permitting the meeting, the court made it clear that no procession could be held as part of the programme. Justice Bhattacharyya also directed that no provocative statement capable of hurting religious sentiments could be made at the meeting.

The state government was asked to deploy adequate police personnel to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. The organisers have also been directed to submit to the police, by 8 pm on Thursday, a list of volunteers who will be present at the programme, along with their phone numbers.

The Sreerampore programme assumes significance as it is set to be Mamata's first political programme outside Kolkata since the change of government following the 2026 Assembly elections. All her political programmes since the election had so far been held in Kolkata.