Calcutta high court refuses to intervene in West Bengal government’s decision to fund Durga Puja committees 

The Calcutta high court.

New Delhi: The Calcutta high court has refused to intervene in the Mamata Banerjee government’s decision to fund ₹10,000 each to 28,000 Durga puja committees in the state and extended the interim stay granted by the court on the decision of disbursing funds to puja committees.

On Wednesday, acting Chief Justice Debasish Kar Gupta and Justice Sampa Sarkar, members of the division bench, confirmed, that the court is not willing to interfere in the decision of the government and the legislature is suitable forum to take decision on expenditures by the government. However, the bench also assured that the court can intervene in the expenditure by the government at a later stage.

The petition filed against the decision of government to fund nearly ₹28 crores to the Durga puja committees in the state has claimed that the funds will not be utilised for public purpose and it is a violation of the secular structure of the Constitution.

Advocate general Kishore Dutta has submitted in the court claiming that the funds are to be used to promote traffic safety campaign, sanitation and public safety and not for religious purposes.

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