HC curbs DA protest march amid polls

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday restricted a proposed protest by state government employees demanding pending Dearness Allowance (DA), allowing only a curtailed sit-in while barring any rally or march in the Bhawanipore area.

Hearing a plea by Sangrami Joutha Mancha, a coordination platform of employees, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya permitted a demonstration at Hazra More on April 12 between noon and 3 pm, but reduced the number of participants from 3,000 to 1,000. The court also directed organisers to ensure that traffic flow is not disrupted.

The order came against the backdrop of the ongoing West Bengal Legislative Assembly election campaign. Emphasising the need to balance competing interests, the court observed that while the right to assemble is protected under Article 19(1)(b) of the Constitution, it remains subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of public order and essential services.

Kolkata Police had earlier denied permission for the march, citing prohibitory measures, election-related engagements and the sensitivity of the proposed route, which includes key traffic corridors and hospital zones. Alternative venues, including Sealdah, were suggested.During the hearing, Advocate General Kishore Datta opposed the plea, arguing that the issue of DA dues is already under consideration before the Supreme Court.

In a related matter, the court allowed the All Bengal SLST-2025 Freshers Organisation to hold sit-ins at Central Park on April 11 and 12, with a cap of 300 participants.