The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for October 1 to consider a plea filed by Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra. Ms Moitra alleges that district administration officials in Nadia, West Bengal, illegally evicted her from the district’s Circuit House.
The hearing was adjourned by one day by a Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant because Ms Moitra’s lead counsel, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, was unavailable. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared in the courtroom and objected to members of parliament directly approaching the Supreme Court on their individual issues, noting that the petition contained factually inaccurate statements.
A lawyer who informed the Bench of Mr Sankaranarayanan’s absence also pointed out that the eviction had taken place despite a protective order issued by the Calcutta High Court in favour of Ms Moitra. He requested that the matter be subjected to an independent investigation and that comprehensive directions be issued.
Ms Moitra, the Lok Sabha MP for Krishnanagar in Nadia district, was directed by the district administration on August 14 to vacate the Circuit House late in the evening. In a video message she claimed a crowd had gathered outside the premises chanting “Jai Shri Ram.” Her counsel said the eviction was a direct attack on federalism and a violation of court orders.
