The Calcutta High Court today declined to grant any interim relief on West Bengal Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose’s decision to appoint breakaway Trinamool Congress MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.
Hearing a petition filed by TMC MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay challenging the rejection of his nomination and Banerjee’s appointment, Justice Krishna Rao refused to stay the Speaker’s decision.
The Court directed the respondents to file their affidavits within three weeks, while the petitioner has been granted two additional weeks to file a reply. The matter will be heard next on July 28.
Justice Krishna Rao was hearing a petition filed by TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay challenging the appointment. The court has now posted the matter after three weeks, and directed all parties to file affidavits.