Calcutta HC seeks affidavit from West Bengal govt in connection with PIL filed by BJP MLA Ambika Ray

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday sought an affidavit from the West Bengal government in connection with the PIL filed by BJP MLA Ambika Ray, challenging the appointment of defected Trinamool leader and BJP MLA Mukul Roy as the Chairman of PAC. The court said the affidavit must be submitted ahead of the next date of hearing on August 12.
The Court took on record the written submission of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ambika Ray. Ray, a BJP MLA from Kalyani Constituency in Nadia district had moved Calcutta High Court challenging PAC Chairmanship of Mukul Roy on July 27.

Ambika Ray has appealed in the PIL and sought reply on how Mukul Roy could become PAC Chairman when he was not nominated by the BJP for the post. On July 9, Mukul Roy was nominated as the Chairman of PAC by the Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.


The Division Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Rajarshwi Bharadwaj heard the case today. The court had directed the concerned parties to file their respective written submissions.

Advocate General Kishore Datta raised a preliminary objection today about the maintainability of the petition and said in the court that the nomination of Mukul Roy as PAC chairman must be heard by the Legislative Assembly and not the High Court.

The crux of the controversy lies in the fact that Mukul Roy, a BJP MLA from Krishnanagar North, had defected to Trinamool Congress after the recently concluded Bengal assembly polls but he was nominated by the Speaker of Bengal Assembly Biman Banerjee as PAC chairman. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, a position traditionally given to an opposition member.

BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari opposed the move. The Speaker of the West Bengal assembly on July 16 held the first hearing of the BJP’s petition seeking to disqualify Mukul Roy, who has defected to the ruling Trinamool Congress, from the House.