The Calcutta High Court has declined to grant interim permission for holding a 'Hanuman Chalisa Paath' on Red Road, scheduled for April 12.

The petitioner had approached the court after not receiving a response from police authorities regarding permission to conduct the event, which was expected to have around 3,000 participants.

Subsequently, police authorities granted permission for the event at an alternative location, citing concerns over potential public inconvenience if held on Red Road.

The petitioner contended that another community was permitted to organise an event at the same venue on March 31, and therefore the denial of permission for the Hanuman Chalisa Paath amounted to discriminatory treatment. It was further argued that April 12 marks the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman, making it a religiously significant occasion. Reference was also made to the annual Durga Puja carnival, which is regularly conducted on Red Road without objections.

The petitioner submitted that the proposed venue is army land and that necessary permissions had already been secured. It was also argued that the event was scheduled between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m., and would not cause disruption, with the police being responsible for ensuring law and order.

The State, however, opposed the plea, arguing that for holding a religious event at a public venue for the first time, the petitioner must establish a right to do so. The State maintained that unless the venue held specific religious significance, no individual or group could claim the right to use it for such purposes as a matter of entitlement.

After considering the submissions, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh observed that the right to conduct a religious event at a public venue must be established when the matter is brought before the court following a refusal by the authorities. The judge noted that such a determination cannot be made without the exchange of affidavits and accordingly directed the parties to file the same.

In the interim, the court declined the request to allow the event on Red Road on April 12.