Kolkata, Oct 13: Clarifying the West Bengal government's stand on the recent court order banning rallies in the metropolis during working hours on weekdays, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said the government would move the Calcutta High Court again today to "seek justice" on the issue. The Chief Minister, in a statement here, said that the government would seek the court's directions so that rights of political parties and other organisations were not curbed and at the same time, holding of rallies did not inconvenience the public.

The Chief Minister's statement came a few days after a division bench of the high court refused to grant a stay, as appealed by the state government, on Justice Amitava Lala's order on September 29 banning rallies and processions in the metropolis on weekdays between 8 am and 8 pm. The statement said the government was aware that the "rights of political parties and other organisations should not be curtailed and that holding of rallies should not bring inconvenience to the public".

The government, Bhattacharjee said, expected to get justice from the court. This was the first time the Chief Minister came out with a statement on the government's stand on the controversial issue.

Bureau Report