Kolkata HC refuses emergency hearing seeking protection of Sandeshkhali women after violence

The Calcutta High Court on Monday refused to grant an urgent hearing to a PIL seeking protection for women residents of Sandeshkhali area amid allegations of sexual atrocities against them by men loyal to the ruling Trinamool Congress party.

The division bench chaired by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam asked whether the petitioner was an elected representative like an MLA or a panchayat pradhan or a resident of Sandeshkhali or whether the person had visited the affected places and said that only newspaper reports should be attached to the petition Copies are not enough.

The Chief Justice told the petitioner counsel that the basic requirements of the PIL must be fulfilled before it can be accepted. The petitioner’s lawyer prayed for urgent hearing of her Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed to protect the women villagers of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

A division bench of Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya orally told the lawyers that the petition for emergency hearing could not be entertained. The divisional judge said that as a bench was already assigned to hear the case regarding Sandesh Khali, parallel hearings could not be held.

It asked the lawyers to watch the proceedings at the Kaushik Chanda Court, which is hearing a petition against Sandeshkhali, and seek intervention in the proceedings if she has any independent material. Protests have been taking place in some villages in Sandeshkhali Community Development Area II of North 24 Parganas district against the sexual abuse of women and grabbing of the villagers’ land by some local TMC leaders and their associates.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)