Kolkata, Dec 04: West Bengal government today made it clear that it will not enact any law to restrict rallies and processions at designated places and routes in the city but would, instead, depend on a political consensus about it. Such laws were neither necessary nor did the government intend to enact them, instead the government wanted all political parties to voluntarily reach unanimity on the issues in the interest of the common people, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee said replying to questions in the assembly. On September 29 Justice Amitabha Lala of Calcutta High Court in an order disallowed processions and rallies in the metropolis between 8 AM and 8 PM on working days, he said adding the government had obtained a stay against the order from a division bench of the court on October 13.
The High Court had also sought the government's views on the matter, Bhattacharjee said, adding the government convened an all-party meeting on October 29 to ascertain the views of the political parties. Bureau Report