TMC Faction Moves Calcutta High Court Against 60-Day Ban at Traditional Martyrs’ Day Rally Venue

Kolkata, July 2026 : The Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday moved the Calcutta High Court challenging a Kolkata Police order imposing prohibitory restrictions for 60 days at the party’s traditional Martyrs’ Day rally venue near CESC House at the busy Esplanade Crossing in central Kolkata.

A single-judge bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharya admitted the petition and scheduled the matter for hearing on July 15, just days before the party’s annual Martyrs’ Day programme on July 21.

The controversy centres on a recent advisory issued by Kolkata Police under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which prohibits the gathering of four or more persons in the area surrounding the CESC House. The restriction, effective for 60 days, also covers July 21, the date on which the Trinamool Congress traditionally organises its flagship Martyrs’ Day rally.

In its petition, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction questioned the timing and justification of the prohibitory order, arguing that it effectively prevents the party from holding its annual event at its customary venue. The petition contends that the restrictions are arbitrary and infringe upon the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

Senior advocate and four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the police order was unjustified and violated the party’s right to assemble peacefully. He urged the court to set aside the restrictions and allow the rally to be held at the historic venue.

The legal dispute comes amid an ongoing internal split within the Trinamool Congress. Until 2025, the party held its Martyrs’ Day rally every year in front of the CESC House. However, following the division within the party, two rival factions have emerged — the minority faction led by Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, and the rebel but majority faction headed by expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee.

The Ritabrata Banerjee faction has already announced that it has secured official permission to organise its Martyrs’ Day programme on July 21 at an alternative venue near the Mahatma Gandhi Statue on Jawaharlal Nehru Road.

Meanwhile, the Mamata Banerjee faction remains firm on conducting the rally at its traditional location outside the CESC House, maintaining that the site carries historical and political significance for the party.

The upcoming hearing on July 15 is expected to determine whether the High Court permits the Mamata Banerjee-led faction to hold the rally at its preferred venue or directs it to shift the programme to another location. The court’s decision is likely to have significant political implications ahead of one of the Trinamool Congress’ most important annual events.