Kolkata, Sept. 15 -- The Calcutta High Court has cleared the way for the formation of the managing committee of the Bagbazar Puja Committee, bringing an end to a dispute over the constitution of the organising body of one of Kolkata's oldest community Durga Pujas.
Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya dismissed a challenge by committee member Rabishankar Sengupta, who had questioned the validity of the casting-vote mechanism used to resolve a deadlock during the selection of office-bearers.
The dispute arose after elections for the 14-member managing committee failed to produce clear winners in several posts. Four candidates were locked in ties among the 12 members who had voted, while two candidates contesting for the post of secretary also secured an equal number of votes.
The matter subsequently reached the Sealdah City Civil Court, which ordered that the deadlock be resolved through a casting vote by September 10. The court relied on the provisions of the Societies Act under which the puja committee is registered.
Following the order, president Samar Kumar Pal exercised his casting vote in each of the tied contests. Sengupta then moved the High Court, contending that the president was entitled to only one casting vote and could not exercise the power separately for multiple tied posts.
The High Court rejected the objection and upheld the procedure adopted to constitute the managing committee, effectively removing the legal hurdle that had stalled the puja committee's formation.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.