Calcutta HC bars TMC faction from July 21 rally at traditional Esplanade venue
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has denied TMC's bid to hold its flagship Martyrs' Day rally at the traditional Esplanade venue on 21 July, redirecting it to Birla Planetarium with a 2,500-person cap. Meanwhile, a rebel TMC faction led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee has secured police permission for a rival rally on the same day — turning what was once a show of unity into a public display of party fracture.
Key Takeaways
Calcutta High Court on 15 July rejected TMC's plea to hold the Martyrs' Day rally at the traditional CESC House, Esplanade venue.
Justice Sougata Bhattacharya 's bench permitted the rally at Birla Planetarium , Central Kolkata, with attendance capped at 2,500 .
Rally timings fixed at noon to 3 pm ; only one of two lanes in front of the venue may be used.
TMC Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee argued the case; sought 5,000 participants — court settled on 2,500 .
Rebel TMC faction led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee has separately secured police permission for a rival rally on Jawaharlal Nehru Road on 21 July .
A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, 15 July rejected a plea from the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) to hold the annual Martyrs' Day rally on 21 July at its traditional venue in front of CESC House near Esplanade in Central Kolkata. The court, however, permitted the rally at an alternate site under strict conditions, averting a complete ban on the event.
What the Court Decided
Justice Sougata Bhattacharya's bench, after two rounds of hearings, allowed the Mamata Banerjee-led faction to conduct the Martyrs' Day rally in front of the Birla Planetarium, also located in central Kolkata. The bench simultaneously imposed several restrictions on the gathering, including a cap on attendance, restricted road use, and fixed timings.
The rally has been permitted between noon and 3 pm, with a maximum of 2,500 participants. The gathering will be confined to one of the two lanes in front of Birla Planetarium, with the second lane kept open for vehicular movement. The bench also directed the Kolkata Police to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident during the event.
The Arguments Before the Court
The petition was argued by Kalyan Banerjee, a four-time TMC Lok Sabha member, who accused the state government of manufacturing excuses to deny permission for the rally at the traditional venue. He sought a maximum attendance of 5,000 participants.
The state government counsel, however, pushed back, initially requesting the court to cap attendance at 500, citing the proximity of schools and hospitals to the Birla Planetarium area. The government further argued that even a gathering of 3,000 people would cause significant inconvenience to residents. Justice Bhattacharya's bench ultimately fixed the figure at 2,500.
The Rival Faction's Parallel Rally
Complicating the political picture, the rebel-majority faction within TMC — led by expelled party legislator Ritabrata Banerjee — has separately obtained permission from Kolkata Police to hold its own 21 July rally on Jawaharlal Nehru Road in central Kolkata. The two factions holding simultaneous rallies on the same date underscores the deepening internal rift within the party.
Background and Significance
The Martyrs' Day rally on 21 July is one of TMC's most politically charged annual events, commemorating the 1993 Youth Congress firing in Kolkata in which 13 people were killed. Holding the rally at the traditional Esplanade venue has long been a symbol of TMC's political dominance in West Bengal. The court's refusal to grant that permission — and the emergence of a rival faction rally on the same day — marks a significant moment of internal turbulence for the party ahead of the state's political calendar.
With both factions set to hold separate events on 21 July, the day could serve as a visible test of relative strength within TMC's fractured ranks.
Point of View
Managing optics at Birla Planetarium with a 2,500-person cap, while a rival faction marches on Jawaharlal Nehru Road, is a challenge that goes well beyond logistics. It is a visibility contest that could harden the internal split.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court reject TMC's plea for the Esplanade venue?
The court did not grant permission for the traditional CESC House, Esplanade venue for the Martyrs' Day rally on 21 July. The state government suggested an alternate location, and Justice Sougata Bhattacharya's bench permitted the rally at Birla Planetarium instead, with strict conditions on attendance and timings.
Where will TMC's Martyrs' Day rally be held on 21 July?
The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction will hold its Martyrs' Day rally in front of Birla Planetarium in central Kolkata. The rally is permitted between noon and 3 pm, with a maximum of 2,500 participants.
What restrictions has the court imposed on the rally?
The Calcutta High Court has capped attendance at 2,500, restricted the gathering to one lane in front of Birla Planetarium, fixed timings from noon to 3 pm, and directed Kolkata Police to maintain law and order during the event.
Who is Ritabrata Banerjee and why is his faction holding a separate rally?
Ritabrata Banerjee is an expelled TMC legislator who leads a rebel-majority faction within the party. His faction has obtained separate permission from Kolkata Police to hold its own 21 July rally on Jawaharlal Nehru Road, reflecting a deepening internal split within TMC.
What is the significance of the Martyrs' Day rally on 21 July?
The Martyrs' Day rally on 21 July commemorates the 1993 Youth Congress firing in Kolkata in which 13 people were killed. It is one of TMC's most politically significant annual events and has historically been held at the Esplanade venue as a demonstration of the party's strength in West Bengal.
