The West Bengal government on Thursday informed the Calcutta High Court that attendance for government employees on International Yoga Day is not mandatory, providing relief to employees who had challenged a prior directive requiring workplace presence on June 21.
Clarifying its position, the Additional Advocate General told the court that participation in Yoga Day programmes will be entirely voluntary. The statement was made during a hearing before Justice Amrita Sinha in response to a petition filed by the State Coordination Committee.
The case stems from a June 14 notification issued by the State Chief Secretary, directing employees of government, semi-government, and state-run institutions to report to duty on June 21, which coincides with International Yoga Day. The directive had drawn criticism, prompting the Coordination Committee to move the High Court against what it termed mandatory attendance on a holiday.
Arguments presented in court
During the proceedings, senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, appearing for the petitioners, argued that numerous commemorative days are observed throughout the year. He cited occasions such as World No Tobacco Day, Teachers’ Day, and World Health Day to support his contention.
In a lighter moment, Justice Amrita Sinha humorously interjected during the hearing, asking, “You mentioned so many days, but did you forget to mention Valentine’s Day?” The remark drew laughter in the courtroom.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on Friday. The Additional Advocate General is expected to seek detailed instructions from the state government regarding the June 14 notification issued by Nabanna, the state secretariat.
The court is likely to examine whether any modification or clarification of the original directive is required in light of the state’s submission.
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