The Supreme Court on Monday declined to interfere with the ongoing proceedings before the Calcutta High Court concerning the removal of a Trinamool Congress signboard from the party office on Kolkata’s Camac Street. The Court instead asked the High Court to consider all pending issues and decide them expeditiously.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana was hearing the plea filed by the All India Trinamool Congress against the Calcutta High Court’s refusal to grant interim relief after the signboard had already been removed.
Background of the Case
The dispute relates to a billboard carrying the Trinamool Congress’ name at the party office on Camac Street. Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials, accompanied by police personnel, removed the billboard on August 27, 2026, after civic authorities treated it as unauthorised.
The party then approached the Calcutta High Court. On August 28, Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury declined to grant interim relief, noting that the signboard had already been removed and that restoring it at the interim stage could amount to granting the final relief sought.
The TMC subsequently approached the Supreme Court.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the TMC, argued that the signboard had been removed without proper notice. He also contended that the High Court had treated the dispute as having no surviving cause of action merely because the board had already been taken down.
The Bench did not accept that reasoning as ending the dispute.
"Just because the board was removed, it does not mean the matter has become infructuous. If it is found to be wrongly removed, there can be a mandatory order for restoration," the Bench observed.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the State of West Bengal, also raised a preliminary objection regarding the maintainability of the Supreme Court plea, pointing to the availability of a writ appeal.
The Supreme Court held that the pending issues had not been finally decided by the Calcutta High Court. It clarified that the observations in the interim order were tentative and allowed the parties to raise their respective contentions before the High Court.
"In our view, interim order dated August 28, 2026 has not decided pending issues on merits. Since HC is seized of matter, and there are tentative observations made in the order, the parties are granted liberty to raise their respective contentions before HC. We request the High Court to determine all issues that arise for consideration expeditiously."
The Supreme Court accordingly disposed of the plea and requested the Calcutta High Court to determine the issues expeditiously.
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