Student council polls: HC defers hearing in absence of govt counsel
The Statesman | 2 August 2025
A crucial hearing on the multiple public interest litigations seeking immediate conclusion of pending students’ union council elections in all colleges and universities in West Bengal was postponed on Friday as the state government counsel did not turn up at the hearing in the Calcutta High Court.
Four-time Trinamul Congress Lok Sabha member and senior advocate of the high court, Kalyan Banerjee, was supposed to appear on behalf of the state government. However, as Banerjee did not turn up for the hearing, Calcutta High Court’s division Bench of Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Smita Das De posted the hearing.
The next date of hearing has been fixed for 7 August. The division Bench also directed all parties concerned to appear for the hearing on that day with their points of argument and necessary documents.
To recall, on 17 July, the Calcutta High Court, while fixing Friday as the date of hearing, directed the West Bengal government to ensure the fast completion of pending students’ council elections in all colleges and universities in the state as early as possible by issuing the notification for such elections at the earliest.