Kolkata, Oct. 13 -- The Calcutta High Court has allowed an Eastern Railway employees' union to organise Durga Puja on a demarcated portion of a Railway ground at Sealdah, alongside the Sealdah Railway Athletic Club, observing that the festival is meant for citizens and not merely its organisers.
A division bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Arjun Ray Mukherjee set aside a single judge's October 6 order permitting the athletic club to hold the Puja at the venue. The bench held that permission granted to Bharatiya Railway P. Shramik Union (Eastern Railway) had been withdrawn without a hearing or adequate reasons.
"Puja is not the private affair of the organisers, but it is for the citizens," the court observed.
The bench directed Railway authorities to demarcate a portion of the ground for the union within 24 hours. However, the union would not get an equal share as the athletic club had already constructed its pandal. The Railways said the union's permission was withdrawn for administrative reasons after a dispute broke out between the groups during Khuti Puja.
The court noted that the authorities had failed to explain why permission was withdrawn only from the union, although both groups had initially been allowed to use the ground.
The arrangement will apply only to the 2026 Puja. The court directed both groups to maintain peace and cooperate during demarcation, while asking police to remain vigilant and provide assistance if required.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.