Supreme Court Sends TMC Disqualification Plea to Calcutta HC

The Supreme Court on November 5 disposed of Trinamool Congress leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay’s petition over delayed disqualification proceedings against 10 rebel party legislators, directing him to seek relief in the Calcutta High Court. It asked the High Court’s Chief Justice to place the matter before a division bench for urgent consideration and expeditious disposal. The Supreme Court did not decide whether the legislators should be disqualified. Chattopadhyay has liberty to file an appropriate petition in the High Court, which has not yet ruled on the disqualification petitions. No High Court hearing date was reported. The petitions against the 10 MLAs were filed on July 8. During the Supreme Court hearing, Chattopadhyay’s counsel said nearly five months had passed without a decision by the West Bengal Assembly Speaker. The bench noted that the Speaker had been expected to decide the petitions within three months. Justice Joymalya Bagchi acknowledged the concern about delay but said litigants could not use the courts to bypass the queue. Chattopadhyay’s counsel asked for an urgent division-bench hearing, saying he wanted to avoid another round of appeals within the High...