Calcutta Television Network v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

AD-16 Ct No.09 29.01.2024 TN WPA No. 2841 of 2023 Calcutta Television Network Pvt. Ltd.

Vs.

State of West Bengal and others Mr. Sabyasachi Chatterjee, Mr. Badrul Karim, Mr. Kiran Sk.

.... for the petitioner Mr. Bhupendra Gupta .... for the respondent no.3 1.

Affidavit-of-service filed today be kept on record. 2.

The petitioner is a part of the electronic media. The grievance is that although the petitioner's reporters and photographers from serial nos. 3 to 7 at page-56 have been given accreditation cards, Subhasis Das and Tanusree Bhattacharya, the persons whose names are appearing in serial nos.1 and 2, have not yet been given such cards. 3.

It transpires from the communication of the petitioner to the Director, Information & Cultural Affairs Department that the said two persons are respectively the Press Reporter & Chief Editor (one Subhasis Das) and a Press Reporter namely Tanusree Bhattacharya who should not be discriminated against with regard to the issuance of accreditation cards, being on a parity of footing with the other reporters and photographers.

4.

Accordingly, WPA No. 2841 of 2023 is disposed of thereby directing the respondent nos.4 and 5 to issue accreditation cards to Subhasis Das and Tanusree Bhattacharya whose names are appearing in serial nos.1 and 2 at page-56 of the writ petition who are respectively press reporter & Chief Editor and Press Reporter of the petitioner no.1-concern, subject to their fulfilling the eligibility criteria, expeditiously, preferably within a fortnight from the date of communication of this order to the said respondents.

5.

In the alternative, if the respondent nos.4 and 5 are of the opinion that they are not entitled to such cards, the said respondents shall communicate in writing the reasons for such refusal to the said persons, also within a fortnight from the date of communication of this order to the respondent nos.4 and 5.

6.

The parties shall act on the server copy of this order.

7.

There will be no order as to costs.

Urgent photostat certified copies of this order, if applied for, be made available to the parties upon compliance with the requisite formalities.

(Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya, J.)