New Delhi, September 7, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to interfere with the removal of a signboard bearing the Trinamool Congress’ name and logo from the roof of the party’s office of General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata, but asked the Calcutta High Court to decide the dispute expeditiously.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana was hearing a Special Leave Petition filed by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool faction challenging the Calcutta High Court’s refusal to grant interim relief.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Trinamool Congress, argued that the signboard had been removed without issuing any notice to the party. He contended that the High Court had erred in observing that no cause of action survived because the board had already been removed.
The Supreme Court observed that removal of the signboard did not, by itself, mean that the party’s grievance had been addressed.
“Merely because it has been removed does not mean that your grievance has been satisfied. If your claim is accepted, the High Court will have to grant you liberty to raise the issue,” the Bench observed.
Sibal said the party was seeking restoration of the signboard and maintained that it was entitled to notice before such action. He also submitted that the party had informed Kolkata Police on August 26 that security would be required for removing the board, but no notice was served on it.
The senior counsel argued that the Trinamool Congress was a registered political party and that its name had been displayed on the building under a registered lease. He urged the Supreme Court to remit the matter to the High Court so that all contentions could be considered without the observations in its interim order coming in the way.
The apex court, however, said the Calcutta High Court’s August 28 interim order had not decided the pending issues on merits.
“In our view, the interim order dated August 28, 2026 has not decided pending issues on merits. Since the High Court is seized of the matter, and there are tentative observations made in the order, the parties are granted liberty to raise their respective contentions before HC. We request the High Court to determine all issues that arise for consideration expeditiously,” the Bench ordered.
The Supreme Court also clarified that observations in the impugned order would not prevent either side from raising its contentions before the High Court.
The dispute stems from the removal of a large billboard carrying “All India Trinamool Congress” and the party logo from the roof of Banerjee’s Camac Street office on August 27.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), accompanied by police personnel, had removed the billboard, stating that it had been installed without mandatory permission and payment of applicable taxes. The action led to tension at the spot, with Trinamool leaders and activists, including Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien, opposing the move. Scuffles were reported between police personnel and party activists before the billboard was removed.
Kolkata Police subsequently registered three FIRs and arrested several Trinamool activists. Abhishek Banerjee, O’Brien and other party leaders were named in two of the FIRs.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction then approached the Calcutta High Court seeking restoration of the billboard and challenging the action taken by the civic body and police.
On August 28, a special single-judge Bench of Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury declined interim relief, holding that the matter was at a premature stage and that affidavits from all concerned parties were required before any interim direction could be considered. The High Court also rejected the plea seeking details of KMC employees and Kolkata Police personnel involved in the removal operation.
Meanwhile, the Camac Street premises have also come under scrutiny over fire safety. The West Bengal Fire Services Department last week issued a notice alleging irregularities in the fire safety arrangements on the seventh and eighth floors, where Banerjee’s office is located.
The department said the fire safety certificate had expired on August 10 and sought an explanation within 48 hours on why the premises should not be sealed.
After the response deadline expired, the department on September 4 directed occupants to vacate the seventh and eighth floors, citing inadequate firefighting measures and non-compliance with fire safety regulations.
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