Calcutta High Court denies stay, keeps Banerjee as LoP

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday declined to grant an interim stay on the West Bengal Assembly Speaker's decision to recognize rebel Trinamool Congress MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition. The ruling allows Banerjee to continue in the post while the legal challenge proceeds, with the next hearing scheduled for July 28.

Justice Krishna Rao directed all parties to file affidavits within three weeks, stating the court found no prima facie case or balance of convenience in favor of granting interim relief to the petitioner, TMC MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay. Chattopadhyay had challenged Speaker Rathindra Bose's decision to appoint Banerjee instead of him.

The dispute stems from a split within the TMC's legislative party following its defeat in the state assembly elections. The party leadership, led by chairperson Mamata Banerjee, had formally proposed Chattopadhyay for the post in May. However, a group of rebel MLAs later submitted a rival resolution claiming majority support for Ritabrata Banerjee, which the Speaker accepted in early June.

During hearings, the court questioned the Speaker's handling of the competing claims. Justice Rao asked why the proposal from...