Calcutta High Court Allows Ritabrata Banerjee to Remain Leader of Opposition

Rebel Trinamool Congress MLA Ritabrata Banerjee will continue as the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly until a single bench of the Calcutta High Court decides a petition challenging his appointment, the division bench of the court ordered on Tuesday. The court directed that the matter be decided within two months, providing temporary relief to Banerjee while the legal challenge remains pending.

The interim order was passed by a division bench comprising Justices Shampa Sarkar and Ajay Kumar Gupta. The bench was hearing an appeal filed by veteran TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, who had challenged the refusal of a single bench to grant interim relief against Speaker Rathindra Bose’s decision to appoint Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition.

The single bench had on June 18 declined to pass any interim order concerning the Speaker’s decision. Chattopadhyay subsequently approached the division bench, seeking intervention against the appointment of Banerjee and challenging the rejection of his own claim to the key Assembly position.

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The division bench has now directed the single bench to hear Chattopadhyay’s petition and arrive at a decision within two months. Until that ruling is delivered, Banerjee will remain in the post, allowing him to continue functioning as the Opposition leader in the state legislature.

The dispute centres on the Speaker’s decision to appoint Banerjee as Leader of Opposition and the competing claim raised by Chattopadhyay, who belongs to the camp of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The legal challenge has therefore become significant for the functioning of the Opposition in the state Assembly, with the court proceedings determining whether the appointment will stand.

Tuesday’s order does not finally settle the dispute over Banerjee’s appointment. It only allows him to continue as Leader of Opposition until the single bench decides the petition within the stipulated two-month period. The final outcome will depend on the proceedings before the single bench and its decision on Chattopadhyay’s challenge to the Speaker’s order.

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