Kolkata, August 10, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed before the Calcutta High Court on Monday challenging the West Bengal government’s order concerning the removal of microphones and loudspeakers from religious places across the state.
The petition was filed by senior advocate and four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee on behalf of lawyer Danish Faruqi. It questions the legal basis for the directive, particularly its implementation at mosques.
Banerjee alleged that police personnel acted on a verbal direction from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari while removing loudspeakers and microphones from mosques.
“This has become a new trend in West Bengal in the new regime. The Chief Minister says something and the police implement the order without an official order or memo being issued,” Banerjee said.
The PIL was admitted by a division bench headed by Calcutta High Court Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty. The date for the first hearing has not yet been announced.
Separately, another petition was filed before Justice Sougata Bhattacharya seeking permission to hold a protest rally on Tuesday from Rajabazar in north Kolkata to Rani Rashmoni Road in central Kolkata against the removal of microphones and loudspeakers from mosques.
The second petition was filed by Abdul Samad through advocate Sabyasachi Chattopadhyay, a CPI(M) leader. The matter may be taken up by Justice Bhattacharya’s bench later on Monday.
Opposition parties had earlier alleged that the state government was selectively targeting mosques through the action. Adhikari, however, clarified that the measure applied to all religious places, including temples.
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