Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee donned her lawyer’s robes on Thursday to appear before the Calcutta High Court in connection with a case related to allegations of post-poll violence in the state.
Banerjee reached the high court accompanied by senior Trinamool Congress leaders Chandrima Bhattacharya and Kalyan Bandopadhyay.
The case, filed by Shirshanya Bandopadhyay, the son of advocate Kalyan Bandopadhyay, pertains to allegations of attacks on Trinamool Congress workers and party offices following the high-stakes Assembly elections held last month.
Riding on a massive anti-incumbency wave against the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, the BJP recorded a historic landslide victory in the Assembly elections. The saffron party’s win ended 15 years of TMC rule and marked a watershed moment for BJP which won 207 seats, reducing the Trinamool to just 80 in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly.
During the hearing at the Calcutta High Court, the former Chief Minister sought urgent protection for affected Trinamool Congress workers and supporters. “My regard to all the judges because this is my first time appearing in the High Court. As a lawyer I’m fighting this case,” she said.
Presenting her arguments, she referred to visual material and alleged that children, women and minorities were not spared during the post poll violence, adding that she was submitting a list of ten people who had been “murdered”. The police were not permitting FIRs to be lodged, the Trinamool Congress supremo alleged.
Meanwhile, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has sought detailed information from the Bar Council of West Bengal regarding the enrollment and practice status of Banerjee after she appeared before the High Court.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the State Bar Council of West Bengal, the BCI said it took note of “various media reports” stating that Banerjee appeared before the Calcutta High Court in legal attire.
Published on May 14, 2026