Court’s Directive on Notification for Visits

The Supreme Court has instructed Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra to notify the Nadia district administration one day prior to her visits. This directive aims to facilitate necessary arrangements, including accommodation, in accordance with established protocol. The court’s order was issued during a hearing related to Moitra’s challenge against a circular dated September 1, which mandated that MPs and MLAs provide a notice of three to four days before any proposed visit to the district.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, expressed that such matters should not be brought before the court, suggesting that a simple standard operating procedure (SOP) could resolve the issues at hand. Moitra, representing West Bengal’s Krishnanagar constituency, alleged that she was evicted from a Circuit House in August, despite having a room allocated to her at the state-owned facility.

Allegations of Eviction and Government Response

During the proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the West Bengal government, contended that no official had instructed Moitra to vacate the premises and asserted that all necessary courtesies had been extended to her. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who represented Moitra, argued that the September 1 circular was specifically aimed at her and emphasised that, according to protocol, an MP holds a higher rank than the chief secretary.

The bench expressed a desire to resolve the situation amicably, stating that there should be no inconvenience for any party involved. Mehta assured the court that the September 1 circular would not be enforced. The bench then instructed Moitra’s office to inform the district administration one day before any visit. Sankaranarayanan raised concerns about the need for room allocations at the Circuit House to follow protocol, while Mehta indicated that such allotments would depend on availability.

In response, Sankaranarayanan argued against the notion of using availability as a means to deny accommodations. The court also took into consideration Moitra’s claims regarding a lack of cooperation from the district administration in executing projects under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme. Sankaranarayanan noted that cooperation had ceased after May 2026, leading to the stalling of 18 projects.

Concerns Over Development Projects and Political Issues

Mehta countered that these concerns were not appropriate for judicial intervention, asserting that political challenges should not be addressed through an Article 32 petition. Moitra’s counsel argued that the district administration’s actions were hindering her ability to function as an elected representative, claiming she was being unfairly targeted. Mehta responded by stating that political issues should not be resolved in this manner.

The bench acknowledged that Moitra had already approached the relevant authorities regarding her concerns and indicated that the authorities would handle the matter appropriately. It also mentioned that if Moitra remained dissatisfied, she had the option to approach the appropriate high court for further recourse.

In a social media post, Moitra alleged that a large crowd gathered outside the Circuit House on the night of August 14, raising slogans after she refused to leave. She subsequently wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking intervention and threatening legal action over what she termed harassment. In her correspondence, Moitra stated that she had not been informed of any restrictions when booking the room and highlighted that the premises were expected to be secure, given their location near the residences of law enforcement officials.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store – https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share