In a setback to the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the TMC, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday refused to give interim relief in a petition against the Assembly Speaker’s decision to appoint rival faction leader Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition (LoP).
A Division Bench of the High Court directed the single bench to decide on Sobhandeb Chatterjee’s petition challenging Ritabrata Banerjee’s appointment to the post within two months. Till then, Ritabrata Banerjee, who is leading the group of rebel TMC MLAs and claimed to be the ‘real TMC’, will continue to be the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
The Division Bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta, in its order, stated that the decision of Speaker Rathindra Bose to appoint Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition was an “interim decision,” and therefore declined to stay the decision. It also made it clear that Ritabrata Banerjee will remain as the LoP as an interim arrangement.
The Division Bench also ordered that the single judge bench would also look into the allegations raised in the petition and all the parties would submit their affidavits before the matter is decided.
Following the Assembly election results, the TMC had nominated Sobhandeb Chatterjee for the LoP post. However, a group of rebel TMC MLAs, led by Ritabrata Banerjee, complained to the Speaker, alleging that the letter of support for Sobhandeb had forged signatures of several party MLAs. On a complaint filed by the Assembly Secretariat, police registered an FIR, and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) later took over the probe.
The Speaker later appointed Ritabrata Banerjee as the LoP, who claimed to have the support of a majority of the 80 TMC MLAs.
Meanwhile, Sobhandeb Chatterjee moved the High Court, challenging Ritabrata’s appointment as LoP.
On June 19, the single bench of Justice Krishna Rao refused to issue an interim order against the Speaker’s decision and scheduled the next hearing on July 28. In the meantime, Shobhandeb moved the Division Bench against the single judge bench’s order.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More
