In a significant development, the Calcutta High Court on April 23, 2025, permitted BJP Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to visit the violence-affected areas of Murshidabad district in West Bengal, where unrest had erupted following demonstrations against the recently passed Waqf Bill.
A division bench comprising Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury allowed the petition filed by Adhikari and another BJP MLA. The petitioners sought court directions for their visit to Dhuliyan, Suti, and Samsherganj in Murshidabad, where clashes had broken out. The court was informed that similar visits by leaders from other political parties had already taken place, and denying the same to Adhikari would be unjust.
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The petitioners also requested the presence of security personnel during the visit to avoid any untoward incident. Representing the petitioners, Senior Advocate Billwadal Bhattacharyya argued that the petitioners merely sought confirmation from the Superintendent of Police (SP), Jangipur, regarding the date and time of their visit. Despite repeated emails on April 12, 13, and 14, no response was received from the authorities.
“It appears from the record that leaders of other political parties have visited the affected areas. The petitioner no.1 as a Leader of the Opposition desires to visit the said places and to interact with the victims,” the court observed.
The Advocate General, appearing for the State, contended that the petition lacked merit and should be dismissed with costs. He questioned the legal standing of the petition and argued that no court approval was necessary for Adhikari’s visit, even if he were recognized as the Leader of the Opposition.
However, the court took note of the petitioner’s intention to ensure a peaceful visit. While the writ did not specifically allege that the petitioners were barred from entry, the bench acknowledged that the petitioners were simply trying to secure a confirmation to prevent disorder during their visit.
It would be open for the petitioners to visit the said places along with Shri Subrata (Kanchan) Moitra, MLA upon prior intimation to the jurisdictional SPs, which shall be at least 24 hours prior to the visit, the court directed.
The bench emphasized that it would be the responsibility of the district administration to take appropriate steps to preserve public order. The SPs were instructed to ensure that peace is maintained during the visit, and additional forces may be deployed if necessary.
“The petitioner nos.1, 2 and Subrata (Kanchan) Moitra may interact with the victims at the aforesaid three places, however, they shall not take out any procession or hold any rally or make any public speech that are likely to cause breach of peace during their interaction with the victims. This is necessary for the purpose of preservation of peace and tranquillity,” the court stated firmly.
The writ petition was disposed of without calling for an affidavit-in-opposition, implying that all allegations were deemed denied. No order regarding costs was made. The court also directed that certified copies of the order be provided to the parties upon fulfilling necessary formalities.
Case: Suvendu Adhikari & Anr. Vs. The State of West Bengal & Ors.
Case No: WPA 8694 of 2025
