BJP moves SC challenging Calcutta HC order retraining publications of ads against Trinamool

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta High Court order restraining it from publication of “derogatory” and “offending” advertisements against the Trinamool Congress.

On Friday, the matter was mentioned before a vacation bench presided over by Justice Bela M Trivedi for directions seeking urgent listing.

After much persuasion by the counsel representing the BJP, the Bench, also comprising Justice Pankaj Mithal, said that it would consider listing the plea.

In an order passed this week, Calcutta High passed an ex-parte injunction prohibiting the publication of advertisements which squarely violate the political rights of Trinamool and its functionaries.

A bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya of the high court said that the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) prohibits all participants in the election process from criticism of other parties or their workers based on unverified allegations or distortion.

It said that the Election Commission of India “grossly failed” to address, in due time, the complaints raised by the ruling Trinamool Congress.

“Accordingly, respondent no. 2 (BJP) is hereby restrained from further continuing with the publication of the offending advertisements… till June 04, 2024, or until further order, whichever is earlier. The respondent no. 2 is further restrained from publishing advertisements in any form of media which is violative of the MCC issued by the ECI during the aforesaid period,” the HC order said.

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