Tridip Dhali And ANR. v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

05.10.2023 Court No. 24 AGM In The High Court At Calcutta Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction Appellate Side W.P.A 23822 of 2023 Tridip Dhali & Anr.

-versus State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Suryaneel Das Mr. Chiranjib Pal ...For the Petitioner.

Mrs. Jyotsna Roy ... for the State.

The petitioners seek permission for conducting Durga Puja.

Learned advocate representing the State respondents has obtained instruction from the Joint Commissioner of Police, Headquarters, Kolkata signed on 3rd October, 2023 wherein it has been mentioned that the petitioners intend to conduct the Durga Puja for the first time this year.

The said puja is not enlisted in the AASAAN Portal as it is a new puja.

Reference has been made to the order passed by this Court in WP No. 21481 (W) of 2004 (Tapan Kumar Mitra -Vs.- State of West Bengal & Ors) wherein by an order dated 22nd July, 2005 the Court was pleased to pass order that permission shall not be accorded to any new puja committee.

It has further been mentioned in the report that the place the puja is sought to be conducted is the CIT road. The same is an important North-South corridor of

the city. Organising a new puja will put additional pressure in the form of added pedestrian movement on this road. Already a number of roads in the city are partially or fully closed due to puja preparations. Allowing new pujas will add to the pressure on the traffic system of the city.

The aforesaid view of the Joint Commissioner of Police appears to have been reiterated by the Officer-inCharge, Entally Police Station. In view of the report submitted by the police, the prayer of the petitioners seeking permission for conducting Durga puja cannot be accepted.

The writ petition fails and is hereby dismissed. Urgent certified photocopy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties expeditiously on compliance of usual legal formalities.

( Amrita Sinha, J.)