HC seeks govt reply on removal of Soumendu Adhikari as Kanthi municipality chairperson

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal government to file an affidavit on removal of Soumendu Adhikari as chairperson of the board of administrators of Kanthi Municipality.

Justice Arindam Sinha directed the state government to file the affidavit by January 15.

Petitioner Adhikari may file an affidavit in reply within a week after that, the bench instructed.

The matter will be taken up for hearing again on January 21, the court directed.

In his petition, Adhikari had challenged authority of the state government to remove him from the post of chairperson of board of administrators of Kanthi Municipality in Purba Medinipur district.

Adhikari, younger brother of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was removed from the post in the last week of December.

Soumendu Adhikari joined the saffron party on January 1 leaving the ruling Trinamool Congress.

The petitioner had served as the Chairman of the Contai municipality and the tenure of the Board of councillors was to expire on May 20, 2020. He was appointed as the Chairperson of the Board of Administrators of Contai municipality on and from May 19, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the state government had issued a notification mentioning his removal.

The matter will be taken up for hearing again on January 21.