SC stays Calcutta HC order staying notifications on dedicated STF police stations, assigned courts

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed an order of the Calcutta High Court which scrapped two notifications issued by the West Bengal government that created dedicated police stations for the Special Task Force and assigned courts at Bidhannagar and Siliguri to try cases investigated by those units.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notice on the West Bengal government's appeal challenging the June 19 order of the high court.

"With the advent of cyber crimes, etc., more courts are needed. Why should the high court have a problem with it? the CJI remarked.


The high court had struck down the government notifications holding that the state cannot alter the criminal justice framework through executive orders.

It had ruled that while the Special Task Force (STF) itself was validly constituted in 2019 and may continue investigating specified offences, the government lacked the authority to create exclusive STF police stations and a separate court structure outside the scheme envisaged under existing laws.

The order was passed on a plea by Jalpaiguri Bar Association members challenging the two notifications issued on January 30, 2025 and February 10, 2025. The first dealt with formation of police stations, Siliguri STF Headquarter police station and Salt Lake STF Headquarter police station. The second with the jurisdiction of criminal courts dealing with it.

In the February 10, 2025, notification, these two STF police stations were brought under criminal courts.

Salt Lake STF headquarter Police Station came under jurisdiction of ACJM, Bidhannagar and ADJ Special Court, West Bengal (MP and MLA cases) at Bidhannagar, North 24 Parganas.

The ACJM Siliguri and ADJ-II at Siliguri, Darjeeling were designated as the trial courts for conducting trials of all sessions cases for the STF Siliguri Police Station.

The STF was formed over five years ago to combat modern urban organised crimes such as terrorism, organised gangs, illegal arms, ammunition and drugs across the state.