Calcutta High Court refuses urgent relief in TMC's plea to de-seal, re-open Camac Street office

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday denied Trinamool Congress's (TMC's) plea for urgent reinstatement of entry into their Camac Street office after police authorities sealed it following its vandalisation by fifteen masked individuals on September 3 [All India Trinamool Congress v. State of West Bengal and Ors.].

Vacation judge, Justice Rishad Medora, refused to pass orders on the plea filed by TMC seeking directions to the State police to de-seal and restore access to the party office.

The judge concluded that no immediate urgency was made out for the case to be considered by the vacation bench and listed the matter for hearing on November 23.

"I have heard the Learned Senior Advocate representing the petitioner as well as the Learned Advocate General representing the State respondents. There does not appear to be any urgency in this matter for it to be considered by the vacation bench. In view of the foregoing let this matter be placed before the regular bench on November 23, 2026, subject to the convenience of the Court. In the meanwhile, the Learned Advocate General is requested to obtained necessary instruction in respect of the subject matter of the writ petition", Justice Rishad Medora said.

The plea filed by TMC alleged that the vandalisation of the Camac Street office was done with the backing by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after its win in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Elections in 2026.

According to the plea, the masked individuals not only trespassed into the party office and damaged office infrastructure and took valuable articles but also threatened, intimidated and unlawfully restrained staff members. They also proceeded to lock office staff in the toilet and threatened them with iron rods and bamboo sticks.

All CCTV footage and the existing surveillance system was also damaged, with police officials arriving at the spot only after the miscreants left, the plea further said.

The Counsel for TMC submitted that following the ruckus caused by the masked individuals, they had lodged an FIR with the police authorities who had come and simultaneously sealed off the party office.

The party made two representations to the police authorities requesting that the office be de-sealed since all the electronic appliances including the fans and lights were running, causing severe financial strain to the political party, he said.

He also cited the fire hazard that accompanied this.

Despite the same, no action has been taken till date, it was submitted.

The State was represented by the Advocate General Surojit Nath Mitra.