Calcutta HC denies urgent hearing on TMC rebel faction's TMCP rally plea
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has refused to fast-track a petition by the Ritabrata Banerjee-led TMC rebel faction seeking permission for a TMCP foundation day rally in Kolkata — a dispute that lays bare a three-way split in Trinamool after its West Bengal Assembly poll collapse, with both rival camps locked out of the same venue by the Kolkata Police.
Key Takeaways
The Calcutta High Court on 19 August declined an urgent hearing on the Ritabrata Banerjee -led TMC faction's rally permission plea.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya listed the petition for the following Friday , not on an urgent basis.
Both the Ritabrata Banerjee camp and the Mamata Banerjee faction want to hold a rally at Mayo Road , Kolkata, on 28 August — the TMCP foundation day .
Kolkata Police denied permission to both factions for the contested venue.
Trinamool Congress has fractured into three groups following its West Bengal Assembly election defeat; the majority of its Lok Sabha members have joined the National Citizens' Party of India (NCPI) .
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, 19 August declined to grant an urgent hearing to a petition filed by the Trinamool Congress faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, seeking police permission to hold a rally in Kolkata on the foundation day of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) on 28 August. The bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya listed the petition for hearing on the following Friday instead.
Background to the Dispute
The TMCP foundation day rally is traditionally held annually at the base of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Mayo Road in central Kolkata. This year, however, the occasion has become a flashpoint between rival factions of the now-fractured All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Both the Ritabrata Banerjee-led camp and the faction loyal to former chief minister Mamata Banerjee have staked claim to the same venue — and neither has received police permission.
The Three-Way Split in Trinamool
The dispute reflects a deeper rupture within the party following its electoral debacle in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections. The majority of Trinamool's Lok Sabha members have since aligned with the National Citizens' Party of India (NCPI). A second, larger bloc — described as the 'rebel-but-majority' faction — is led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The remnant group, reportedly small in number, continues to back Mamata Banerjee.
Court Proceedings So Far
The Mamata Banerjee-led minority faction had approached the Calcutta High Court on Monday seeking permission for its own rally on 28 August. Justice Bhattacharyya admitted that petition and scheduled it for hearing on 19 August. The Ritabrata Banerjee camp subsequently moved the court seeking an urgent hearing of a separate application — a request the bench declined, posting it alongside the other petition for the following Friday.
What Kolkata Police Said
The Kolkata Police did not grant permission to either faction to hold their respective meetings at Mayo Road near the Gandhi statue. Neither camp has publicly disclosed the specific grounds cited by the police for the refusal.
What Happens Next
With the TMCP foundation day falling on 28 August and both petitions now listed before the Calcutta High Court, the court's ruling next Friday will effectively determine which faction — if any — can hold the rally at the contested venue. The outcome is likely to carry significant symbolic weight in the ongoing battle for the Trinamool's organisational identity.
Point of View
Historically seen as aligned with the Mamata establishment, denied permission to both factions, suggesting either a deliberate neutrality or a bureaucratic paralysis in the face of an unprecedented intra-party collapse. With the TMCP foundation day now a contested symbol, the court's Friday ruling will be watched as a de facto verdict on which faction holds the moral, if not legal, claim to the Trinamool name.
NationPress
20 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court refuse an urgent hearing on the TMC rebel faction's plea?
The bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya declined to treat the petition as urgent and instead listed it for hearing the following Friday. The court gave no detailed public reasoning for denying urgency.
What is the TMCP foundation day and why is it significant this year?
The Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) foundation day falls on 28 August and is traditionally marked by a rally at the Mahatma Gandhi statue on Mayo Road in Kolkata. This year it has become a flashpoint because two rival Trinamool factions are both claiming the right to hold the event at the same venue.
Why did the Kolkata Police deny permission to both Trinamool factions?
The Kolkata Police did not grant permission to either the Mamata Banerjee-led faction or the Ritabrata Banerjee-led camp to hold their meetings at Mayo Road. The specific grounds for refusal have not been publicly disclosed by either side.
How has Trinamool Congress split, and who are the three factions?
Following Trinamool's defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections, the party fragmented into three groups: the majority of its Lok Sabha members joined the National Citizens' Party of India (NCPI); a larger 'rebel-but-majority' bloc rallied behind expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee; and a small residual group remains loyal to Mamata Banerjee.
What happens next in the Calcutta High Court?
Both the Mamata Banerjee faction's petition and the Ritabrata Banerjee faction's petition are now listed before the Calcutta High Court for hearing on the Friday before the 28 August TMCP foundation day. The court's ruling will determine whether either faction receives permission to hold the rally at Mayo Road.
