The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has approached the Calcutta High Court challenging the decision of West Bengal Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose to recognise Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly.The ruling party has argued that the Speaker’s decision goes against established parliamentary procedures and legislative conventions. Through its petition, the TMC has sought judicial intervention and recognition of its nominee, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, for the post.The matter was mentioned before Justice Krishna Rao by senior advocate Sirsanya Bandopadhyay and has been listed for hearing on June 11.
The dispute emerged after a group of rebel TMC legislators elected Ritabrata Banerjee as Leader of the Opposition and subsequently secured formal recognition from the Speaker.
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Reports suggest that Banerjee received the backing of 58 MLAs, prompting the Speaker to grant him official recognition.The decision sparked strong objections from the party leadership, which accused the Speaker of disregarding parliamentary norms. TMC leaders have maintained that the recognition was granted without following the proper procedures.Defending his stand, Speaker Rathindra Bose reportedly stated that Banerjee’s faction possessed the necessary numerical support in the Assembly. He also questioned the validity of the party’s expulsion proceedings against some legislators, claiming they did not comply with the party’s own constitutional provisions.
Adding another layer to the controversy, allegations of forged signatures on a resolution backing Sovandeb Chattopadhyay’s candidature are already under criminal investigation.The Calcutta High Court is now set to examine the legality of the Speaker’s decision and determine the validity of the competing claims over the opposition leadership in the Assembly.
