It’s a relief and a distinct advantage for Bidhannagar Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta for now.
On July 18, Thursday, councillors of the municipality were to vote for or against Dutta in a no-trust motion moved against him as per a notification issued by deputy commissioner on behalf of the commissioner. Dutta had moved Calcutta High Court against the notification, and the matter was heard for three consecutive days.
Calcutta High Court had on Monday started hearing Dutta’s petition challenging the no-confidence motion moved against him by the councillors of the municipal body.
Moving the petition on behalf of Dutta, senior advocate and former Mayor of Kolkata, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said that the Trinamool Congress government had violated municipal rules in trying to remove Dutta from his post. The no-confidence motion had no basis and had been arbitrarily issued against him, he had argued.
He said that Dutta had taken some steps against people engaged in unauthorised construction and filling wetlands in the area and hence some people close to the top leadership had turned out against him.
Bhattacharya also argued that the commissioner was on leave and someone (Surajit Ghosh) on behalf of her had issued the notification of no-trust motion. Ghosh had been appointed the deputy commissioner prior to issuing of the notification.
However, advocate general Kishore Dutta had been claiming that the notification had been issued as per rules.
The court on Wednesday concluded that the way the notification had been issued against the Mayor on the no-trust vote was not right and thus the no-trust vote – scheduled for Thursday – has been stalled. However, a fresh notice following the rules may be issued against Dutta.
The Trinamool Congress senior leadership has been miffed with Dutta because of his repeated meetings with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukul Roy. But Dutta has been meeting Roy constantly, speaking against the party and challenging the Trinamool Congress openly. Senior leaders have said that Dutta should leave the party on his own, instead of embarrassing the party leadership and prompting them to take action against him.
