Calcutta HC allows Group D candidates to take out rally near CM's residence

Kolkata, May 15 The Calcutta High Court on Monday allowed the candidates, protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment of non-teaching staff in Group-D category in state-run schools in West Bengal, to take out a lantern rally to Kalighat near the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The protesters approached a bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha for permission for the rally after the city police denied its nod on security grounds. They sought permission for the rally starting from Sahid Minar in Central Kolkata to Kalighat.

On Monday, Justice Mantha gave the permission for the rally but imposed certain restrictions, including that the participants should use one side of the road leaving 80 per cent of the total space for free movement of vehicles.

He also said that any kind of provocative statements or slogans cannot be raised in the rally.

Recently, Justice Mantha has raised questions on the reluctance of the state administration about giving permission to protest rallies and meetings, especially when such events involve issues against the state government or state's ruling party.

He had also observed that it is quite unfortunate that every time groups or individuals have to approach the Calcutta High Court after police denies them permission.

Justice Mantha made these observations while recently giving permissions for two protest rallies by trade union bodies agitating in demand of payments of enhanced dearness allowance and the arrears accrued.

In those cases, too, the police denied permission and the trade union bodies approached the high court against this.

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