The Calcutta High Court on Sunday ordered a halt on demolition work at a building in South 24 Parganas district's Amtala, where Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee had operated his Lok Sabha constituency office. The court directed authorities and other parties involved in the matter to maintain the status quo, preventing any further demolition until further orders are issued or the matter is heard again. The interim order was passed during an urgent hearing after a writ petition was filed by Leaps & Bounds, a company where Abhishek Banerjee's father Amit Banerjee is a director.

The company had a large office space in the building and challenged the demolition order issued by the district administration. The TMC also approached the court and was included as a pro forma respondent in the proceedings. Appearing for Leaps & Bounds, former West Bengal advocate general Kishor Dutta told the court that the demolition action was carried out illegally as the company was allegedly not served any prior notice before authorities began the process. The petitioners argued that the administration had not followed the required legal procedure before taking action against the structure.

After hearing the submissions, Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury directed that all demolition activities be stopped immediately. The court ordered all parties to maintain the existing situation until the next hearing or until further directions are issued. The matter will be considered again after the state government files its response explaining the circumstances surrounding the demolition order and the action taken by authorities. The building in Amtala had been used as Abhishek Banerjee's office for his Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency-related activities.

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The demolition drive by the district administration prompted the legal challenge, with the petitioners questioning the basis and procedure behind the action. The court's intervention has temporarily paused the process while it examines the legal issues raised by the company. The development has drawn political attention because of Abhishek Banerjee's position as a senior TMC leader and his influence within West Bengal's ruling party. However, the proceedings before the High Court have primarily focused on procedural aspects of the demolition rather than political allegations. The court's order aims to preserve the existing situation until all parties present their arguments and relevant documents.

The state government's response is expected to play a crucial role in the next stage of the case. Authorities may have to explain the reasons behind the demolition order and whether all required notices and legal procedures were followed before initiating the action. The case will now return to the Calcutta High Court after the government's submission. Until then, the demolition work at the building will remain suspended following the court's direction. Further proceedings are likely to determine whether the demolition order can proceed or whether additional legal requirements must be fulfilled before any action is taken.

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