The Calcutta High Court, on Friday, dismissed a petition from the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) seeking permission to establish a stall at the 48th International Kolkata Book Fair in Salt Lake. Justice Amrita Sinha ruled that the petition was not maintainable since the event is organized by the Publishers and Booksellers’ Guild, a private entity.
The APDR had argued that they were unjustly denied the opportunity to participate in the book fair, scheduled to begin on January 28. However, the court sided with the Guild’s lawyer, who contended that the APDR does not possess a regular registration certificate, which is a prerequisite for setting up a stall at the fair.
