SC disapproves of Suvendu Adhikari's move to bypass Calcutta HC challenging Speaker's decision

The Supreme Court on Friday disapproved of the bypassing of the Calcutta High Court by Suvendu Adhikari, leader of Opposition in West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Later Adhikari withdrew his plea challenging a decision of the Speaker to not disqualify MLA Mukul Roy. In June last year, Speaker Biman Banerjee had ruled that Roy was a BJP MLA. However, Adhikari had argued that he defected to Trinamool Congress after the results of the 2021 elections were announced.

A division bench comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjay Kumar expressed its reservations about Adhikari bypassing the Calcutta High Court. "How can you bypass the high court like this? We see no reason to interfere. You cannot approach us like this. We are expressing our reservations," the bench remarked. The bench further observed that Adhikari had approached the top court earlier too and was asked to petition the high court.

"There is a system. You were here earlier too and you withdrew it," the bench said. Adhikari's counsel argued that the plea was filed since the case in which the Supreme Court had earlier directed the HC to hear the matter has been pending before the apex court. However, the bench asked Adhikari to move Calcutta High Court. The petition was dismissed as withdrawn.