Calcutta HC refuses to pass interim order in Speaker's decision on Ritabrata Banerjee as LoP

Calcutta High Court on Thursday refused to pass any interim order in the case challenging the Speaker's decision to make expelled TMC MP Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal assembly.

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday refused to pass any interim order in the case challenging the Speaker's decision to make expelled Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal assembly. Justice Krishna Rao directed the parties to file an affidavit in opposition in three weeks and reply in two weeks. Next hearing on July 28.

Speaker's decision will remain unchanged, as per the Calcutta High Court direction. In the ongoing rebellion within the Trinamool Congress, a total of 58 MLAs of the Trinamool Congress have already formed a separate faction within the West Bengal assembly, where Ritabrata Banerjee has been recognised as Leader of Opposition by the speaker Rathindra Bose.

On the other hand, in Lok Sabha, 2/3rd MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar have merged with the Tripura-based Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and have also written to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla for a separate seating arrangement in the lower house. Reacting to the Calcutta High Court refusing to pass any interim order in the case of challenging the Speaker's decision to make Ritabrata Banerjee as LoP, TMC MP and Advocate Kalyan Banerjee said that the high court has not passed any interim order, but it admitted the petition.

"The high court has not passed any interim order, but it admitted the petition... the direction for the affidavit has been given, and the matter will come to the final hearing. The final hearing will be held in July," he added. Meanwhile, expelled party leader Ritabrata Banerjee on Tuesday backed the idea of a floor test in the West Bengal Assembly amid speculation over political developments in the state, asserting that such a move would put an end to ongoing debates and claims.

Speaking on the issue, Banerjee said that if the Speaker deemed it necessary, a floor test should be conducted to ascertain the strength of the legislators. "I am saying this because people outside are making so many statements, and the media is also showing immense interest in these remarks. So, my message to everyone is that if the Speaker feels a floor test needs to happen, let there be a floor test. Once the floor test takes place, all this endless rhetoric and cross-talk will come to an end," he said. (ANI)