Trinamool moves Calcutta HC again over 1,583 preventive arrests in West Bengal
Synopsis
With 1,583 preventive arrests in 36 hours and the second phase of West Bengal Assembly elections a day away, Trinamool Congress has again rushed to the Calcutta High Court — arguing that at least 350 of those arrests violate the court's own 22 April order. The bench that issued that order is now being asked to act on it.
Key Takeaways
Trinamool Congress filed a fresh petition in the Calcutta High Court on 28 April against preventive arrests ahead of West Bengal Assembly election Phase 2 .
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal confirmed 1,095 preventive arrests in 24 hours and 1,583 in 36 hours since Sunday morning.
Senior advocate and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee argued at least 350 arrests violated the court's 22 April order barring arbitrary branding of people as
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday, 28 April again approached the Calcutta High Court challenging preventive arrests conducted across West Bengal between 26 April morning and 27 April evening, a day before the second phase of Assembly elections in the state. The arrests, totalling 1,583 over 36 hours, were carried out on the instructions of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
What the Petition Argues
Four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee filed the petition before the division bench comprising Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen. Banerjee argued that preventive arrests of at least 350 persons were in direct violation of the same bench's earlier order dated 22 April, which had ruled against indiscriminately branding individuals as potential
Point of View
A High Court order already on record limiting that power, and the ruling state party — Trinamool — rushing back to court claiming that order is being flouted. What is missing from the mainstream framing is the structural tension: the ECI is constitutionally mandated to ensure free and fair elections, yet the line between election security and political targeting of the incumbent's cadre is notoriously blurred in West Bengal. The district-wise data — East Burdwan alone accounting for 479 of 1,583 arrests — deserves scrutiny as to whether the geographic distribution tracks genuine threat intelligence or political geography. The court's response on Tuesday will signal whether judicial oversight of election-eve policing has real teeth.
NationPress
30 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Trinamool Congress approach the Calcutta High Court over preventive arrests?
Trinamool Congress argued that at least 350 of the preventive arrests made between 26 and 27 April violated the Calcutta High Court's own order of 22 April, which barred authorities from arresting people merely by branding them as potential trouble-makers. The petition was filed a day before the second phase of West Bengal Assembly elections.
How many preventive arrests were made in West Bengal ahead of Phase 2 polling?
According to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, 1,095 preventive arrests were made in 24 hours since Sunday evening, and 1,583 arrests were made in 36 hours since Sunday morning, all carried out on Election Commission of India instructions.
What did the Calcutta High Court order on 22 April say?
The Calcutta High Court's division bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen ruled on 22 April that while preventive arrests could be made under relevant prevention laws, no person could be arrested or detained solely on the basis of being branded a potential trouble-maker.
Which districts recorded the highest number of preventive arrests?
East Burdwan recorded the highest number at 479 arrests, followed by North 24 Parganas at 319, South 24 Parganas at 246, Kolkata (Uttar) at 109, Hooghly at 49, and Nadia and Howrah at 32 each.
Who are the four persons arrested in connection with the BJP-TMC clash at Jagatdal?
The four persons arrested in connection with the clash between BJP and Trinamool Congress activists at Jagatdal in North 24 Parganas on Sunday night are Koushik Das (27), Sikander Prasad (39), Gopal Routh (40), and Shyamdev Shaw (55).
