Setback To Mamata: Calcutta HC Stays Curbs On Durga Immersion, Allows For It On Muharram As Well

The Calcutta High Court today (21 September) allowed immersion of Durga idols on all days from Vijayadashami on 30 September, including on Muharram the next day, and directed the West Bengal government to make necessary security arrangements.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Rakesh Tiwari and Justice Harish Tandon asked the state government to chalk out designated routes for immersion and tazia processions.

It said that immersion of Durga idols would be held on all days from Vijayadashami on 30 September according to the Hindu almanac, including on 1 October.

The state government had said no Durga idol immersions would be allowed after 10 pm on 30 September and the 1 October, the day Muharram is scheduled to be observed.

The bench also directed the state government to put out advertisements giving information about the routes and also for ensuring amity and harmony between the communities.

It declined a plea of the Trinamool Congress government for a stay on the order.

It asked the state authorities to file an affidavit on the prayers made by the petitioners within three weeks after the Durga puja holidays and the petitioners to give their reply within another two weeks.

The matter would come up for hearing again five weeks after the vacation. The court's annual vacation is from 25 September to 21 October, and includes Durga Puja, Muharram, Gandhi Birthday, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja, Pratipada & Bhatridwitiya.

The directions by the high court came on three public interest litigations (PILs) challenging the restrictions on the immersion of idols at the end of the five-day Durga puja festival. PTI