Cal HC imposes fine on chairman of municipality for not complying with its order

The Calcutta High Court on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the chairman of Contai municipality, Subal Kumar Manna, for not complying with its order allowing a fair on a college ground in Purba Medinipur district.

The high court had earlier on April 19 passed an order directing that permission be granted to a petitioner for holding the Baisakhi mela at P K College ground.

Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya imposed the fine on Manna for non-compliance with the court's order.

Directing Manna to pay the amount of Rs 1 lakh to the petitioner within one week, Justice Bhattacharyya directed the contemnor's lawyer to file a compliance report before the court on September 2.

Manna appeared before the court personally and apologised for non-compliance, which Justice Bhattacharyya described as lip service apparently to avoid penal consequences. Noting that the fair was organised by the petitioner at a subsequent date and the municipality extended assistance to it, the court let him go with the fine of Rs 1 lakh.

Justice Bhattacharya, however, warned that Manna will ''suffer serious consequences'' if a similar attitude is shown in future.

The petitioner is a representative of a students' union of the college, his lawyer Soumen Dutta said.