The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for Thursday on a petition filed by Trinamool Congress lawmaker Mahua Moitra challenging her alleged late-night eviction by district administration officials from a state-run circuit house in West Bengal.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana posted the matter for Thursday after Moitra’s arguing counsel, Gopal Sankaranarayanan, was unavailable due to an appearance in another courtroom. The bench declined a request to pass over the matter for a hearing later in the day.
During the brief proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta objected to the petition, questioning the appropriateness of lawmakers bringing personal grievances directly before the apex court. Mehta contended that individual issues concerning Members of Parliament should not be agitated straight before the Supreme Court and asserted that the filing contained factual inaccuracies.
Moitra’s legal team sought an urgent hearing date, arguing that the dispute raises a significant constitutional question that warrants an independent inquiry. Her counsel also informed the bench that the eviction took place despite an existing protective order previously issued by the high court.
Midnight Standoff at Krishnanagar Circuit House
The legal challenge arises from an episode in August in Moitra’s Krishnanagar constituency. Following a parliamentary session, the MP moved into the government circuit house for an overnight stay, asserting her entitlement to state accommodation as an elected representative.
Moitra alleged that Nadia district authorities pressured her to vacate the property in the middle of the night to harass her. She maintained that she had been allotted a room and that officials had not communicated any booking embargo either when the reservation was made or upon her arrival.
Complaint to Speaker and Security Concerns
The situation reportedly escalated on the night of August 14. In a social media post, Moitra stated that following her refusal to leave the premises, a large crowd gathered outside the facility and chanted “Jai Shri Ram” slogans.
Moitra highlighted that the circuit house is situated directly across from the official residences of both the district magistrate and the district superintendent of police, arguing that crowds should not have been able to assemble in what is designated as a secure zone.
The Krishnanagar MP subsequently wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting his intervention into the district administration’s actions and indicated that she would pursue legal remedies over the alleged harassment.
