Kolkata, 1 December (H.S.)

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Calcutta High Court on Monday against senior West Bengal minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, accusing him of holding a key post in a private power company’s employees’ union while serving as a cabinet minister, in alleged violation of established norms.

The petition was placed before a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen. The bench admitted the plea and scheduled an urgent hearing for Tuesday.

According to the petitioner, ministers—whether in the central or state government—are barred from holding office in any labour union or employees’ association. Despite this, Chattopadhyay, who is the Trinamool Congress MLA from Khardah and the state’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister, reportedly continues to serve as president of an employees’ body affiliated with a private power company. The petitioner stated that repeated complaints were submitted to the state authorities, but no action was taken, prompting the move to approach the court.

There has been no official response from the minister so far. However, Trinamool Congress sources claimed that Chattopadhyay had already resigned from most employee organisations following directions from the party leadership. They suggested that his name may still be appearing in certain lists “due to an error.” According to party insiders, the minister will furnish his response before the court as part of the legal process.

Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay is among the senior-most leaders of the Trinamool Congress and is considered one of Mamata Banerjee’s earliest political associates. A founding member of the party since its inception in 1998, he has been elected to the state assembly multiple times and has held several organisational and ministerial responsibilities over the years.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh