Shreya Gupta
On 4 April 2025, the Calcutta High Court granted permission to the Hindu organization Anjani Putra Sena to hold its proposed Ram Navami rally. The rally is titled ‘Shri Rama Navami Shobha Yatra Utsav’ and is scheduled for 6th April.
The rally will start from the Lord Narasimha Temple on GT Road and conclude at the Howrah Maidan. Earlier, the police had denied permission for the rally along this route, citing past court order violations and security risks. Instead, they had suggested two alternative routes, prompting the organization to approach the High Court seeking relief.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, who presided over the case, permitted the rally on the original route but imposed several strict conditions. The Court required that the names and identity details of the 500 intended participants be submitted in advance to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Division, Howrah. Acceptable forms of identification include EPIC, Aadhaar, PAN card, or any other official ID. The matter has been scheduled for a follow-up hearing on 9th April to ensure compliance with the Court’s directions.
During the hearing, the Anjani Putra Sena assured the Court that the rally would be restricted to 500 participants, each of whom would wear identification badges. While the State opposed the petition—pointing to unruly incidents during similar rallies in 2022 and 2023—the Court took into account the petitioner’s assurances and the precedent of the same route being used in earlier years. The Court emphasized that although the police have the power to manage security and public order, they do not possess the authority to unilaterally impose alternative routes when prior permissions and judicial orders exist supporting the original path.
To ensure peaceful conduct of the rally, the Court laid down multiple conditions. It directed that the organisers nominate 10 individuals who would be held responsible for maintaining order throughout the procession. The Court also ruled that no vehicles, apart from the one carrying the tableau and idol of Lord Rama, would be allowed in the rally. Further, participants were barred from carrying weapons or sticks, although flags and plastic (PVC) maces were permitted.
For enhanced security, the police were instructed to deploy surveillance vehicles at both the front and rear of the rally. The procession was ordered to be conducted strictly within the time frame of 8:30am to 12 noon. Senior Advocate Subir Sanyal led the legal team representing the petitioner organization, with several other advocates assisting, while Advocate General Kishore Datta, along with a team of legal counsels appeared on behalf of the State authorities.
Case Name: Anjani Putra Sena v. State of West Bengal & Ors.
Case Number: W.P.A. 7118 of 2025
Bench: Justice Tirthankar Ghosh
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