BJP moves SC against Calcutta HC's order barring its yatra

The West Bengal unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) moved the Supreme Court against the order by Calcutta High Court's division bench which barred the party from conducting its 'Save Democracy Yatra' in West Bengal.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court Debasish Kar Gupta, on Friday quashed the order of the court's single bench allowing the BJP to hold its yatra. The single-judge bench, which gave a green signal to the yatra, was asked to reconsider the case based on intelligence input. The division bench was hearing a plea filed by the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government.

On Thursday, the single bench of the High Court had allowed the BJP to proceed with its yatra in the state and directed that the administration should ensure there is no breach of law and order.

Earlier, the state government had refused permission for the proposed yatra citing intelligence reports of possible communal violence in areas where the BJP planned to hold rallies.

The BJP had planned to hold yatras, beginning from Cooch Behar district on December 6 and moving further to Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district on December 9 and Tarapith in Birbhum district on December 14.