Calcutta High Court Mulls Imposing Restrictions On 'Martyrs' Day' Rally In Kolkata On July 21

The Calcutta High Court has orally remarked that it would consider imposing restrictions on the Martyrs' Day rally to be held by the state on 21st July, 2025. 

The rally is held every year by the state government, since 2011, in commemoration of a 1993 police firing at protestors from the Congress and Trinamool Congress party, which led to the deaths of 13 people.

Justice Tirthankar Ghosh made these remarks in a plea moved by an organisation claiming to be representing lawyers, stating that the rally on the 21st would result in wide-scale disruption of traffic and disturb the movement of lawyers to and from courts.

Advocate General representing the state submitted that such disruptions were common for any protest, and that measures would be taken to minimise them. It was argued that this rally had been taking place for many years, and the petitioners, claiming to espouse the cause of lawyers, was taking a political stance in court.

Counsel for the petitioner submitted that they had made a representation to the police authorities, which had not been heeded either.

In hearing the submissions, the bench remarked, "Declare it as a state holiday...every year this is happening...can you (state) say there will be no congestion? Let the police commissioner submit an affidavit that there will be no traffic disruption...I will impose restrictions...but I will not change the venue."

Accordingly, the court posted the matter to tomorrow, to hear the state's response to the petitioner's representation and for final orders.