The Calcutta High Court on Thursday, June 18, 2026, refused to pass an interim stay on West Bengal Legislative Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose’s decision to recognize rebel Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP). The order was delivered by Justice Krishna Rao in Kolkata following a writ petition filed by senior TMC leader SobhandebChattopadhyay, whose official nomination by party chief Mamata Banerjee had been bypassed by the Speaker. The court declined immediate intervention because it found no prima facie case or balance of convenience favoring the mainstream TMC camp, effectively permitting the breakaway faction to retain the key legislative post as the state’s budget session commenced.
The ruling marks a significant political setback for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee amidst an intensifying internal crisis within the ruling party. According to assembly records, the official TMC leadership had nominated Chattopadhyay for the LoP position following the state elections. However, a rebel group of 58 dissident legislators out of the party’s 80 total MLAs revolted, alleging signature forgery in the party’s initial resolution. Led by Ritabrata Banerjee—who was subsequently expelled by the party command—the faction physically presented its numerical strength before the Speaker. Relying on this dynamic majority, Speaker Rathindra Bose formally recognized the rebel leader instead of the party’s official pick.
During the extensive legal proceedings at the Calcutta High Court, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the Speaker’s action directly undermined the anti-defection framework by disregarding the political party’s mandate. Conversely, the rebel camp maintained that parliamentary recognition must purely reflect numerical realities on the house floor. While Justice Rao actively questioned why the Speaker rushed to accept the rebel representation while leaving the original party proposal pending, he ruled against a temporary freeze. The High Court has now directed all involved respondents to submit their comprehensive affidavits within three weeks, allowing the petitioner an additional two weeks to file a rejoinder. The crucial matter is scheduled for its next detailed hearing on July 28, 2026.
