Kolkata, Oct. 27 -- The Calcutta High Court has directed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to inspect a banquet hall at 12, Hungerford Street, and verify whether it has the necessary licences.
The civic body must stop ceremonies if the operators cannot satisfy the authorities that the required licences exist.
Justice Aryak Dutt passed the order on a petition by Fastmove Constructions Private Limited and other companies, which own 50 per cent of the property. They alleged that the other co-owner, respondent 14, was letting out the premises as a banquet hall run by respondents 11 to 13 without the licences required for commercial activities.
The petitioners said the venue had been booked for the entire upcoming wedding season. They feared being held equally liable if a fire or other incident occurred because they own half the property.
The court directed the KMC to inspect the premises, seek copies of licences from the owners and file an affidavit disclosing whether permission had been granted. Its report must detail the licences, when applications were made and how they were granted without the petitioners' consent.
The Income-Tax Authority must examine the returns of respondents 11 to 14 for the three years immediately preceding the current financial year to determine whether income from letting out the banquet hall was declared.
The order records that all respondents, including the KMC, Pollution Control Board, Fire Authority, Income-Tax Authority and police, had been served, but none appeared to oppose the petition.
Respondents are to file objections within three weeks of the court reopening, followed by the petitioners' reply within two weeks. The matter will appear before the regular bench in January 2027.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.