In a significant development, Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam of the Calcutta High Court asserted that marathons hold greater significance than political rallies, directing the Indian Secular Front (ISF) to relocate its planned rally from the Esplanade city center to a Kolkata indoor stadium.
The court's decision came during a hearing on a Bengal government petition challenging a single-bench order permitting the ISF rally in front of Victoria House, a landmark in the Esplanade area traditionally used by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's TMC for its annual July 22 mega convention.
The Advocate General representing the state argued that Esplanade was already hosting multiple events on the planned Sunday, including the Kolkata Police Marathon with 25,000 participants and a vintage car rally, making it logistically challenging for an additional program.