Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee appeared before the Calcutta High Court on May 14 to personally argue a public interest litigation concerning alleged post-poll violence in the state following the 2026 Assembly elections. Wearing a lawyer’s gown, Banerjee urged the court to intervene and protect citizens allegedly facing intimidation, attacks and displacement after the BJP’s electoral victory.
During the hearing before Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Parthasarathi Sen, she accused the police of failing to act on complaints and declared that “Bengal is not a bulldozer state”. The state government’s counsel, however, argued that the allegations lacked concrete evidence and maintained that law enforcement agencies were active and vigilant.
A Rare Courtroom Appearance By Mamata Banerjee
Banerjee’s appearance in court drew widespread public and political attention, marking one of the rare occasions she has personally argued a matter as an advocate despite holding a law degree and being enrolled with the Bar Council since 1985. According to reports, the petition was filed by advocate Shirshanya Bandyopadhyay, son of Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, alleging large-scale violence against TMC workers and supporters after the election results were announced. The plea claimed that more than 2,000 party workers had been injured, hundreds of party offices vandalised, and several families forced to flee their homes due to political threats and attacks.
Addressing the bench, Banerjee reportedly alleged that women, children and minorities were being targeted in several districts and claimed that threats of sexual violence and forced displacement were being used to intimidate political workers. She sought permission to place additional complaints before the court and appealed for immediate judicial intervention to restore public confidence and safety. “Please save the people of the state,” she reportedly told the court while stressing that governance in Bengal should not mirror “bulldozer politics” associated with punitive demolitions and aggressive state action.
The state government’s counsel, Dhiraj Trivedi, countered the allegations by arguing that the petition lacked verifiable details about specific incidents, locations or complainants. He told the court that the police remained alert and active across the state and questioned the urgency of interim judicial directions without adequate evidence. The court is expected to continue hearing the matter as political tensions remain high across Bengal.
Political Tensions Deepen After Historic Bengal Election Result
The hearing comes against the backdrop of a dramatic political shift in West Bengal, where the BJP defeated the Trinamool Congress in the 2026 Assembly elections, ending the latter’s 15-year rule in the state. Banerjee herself lost the high-profile Bhabanipur seat to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, while the BJP secured a decisive majority in the 294-member Assembly. Following the election results, reports of violence, arson, vandalism and political clashes emerged from multiple districts, with both the BJP and TMC accusing each other of orchestrating attacks on party workers and supporters.
Recent incidents have further intensified the confrontation between the two parties. The killing of BJP leader Chandranath Rath near Kolkata and fires that destroyed dozens of shops in East Midnapore triggered fresh allegations and counter-allegations over political violence and lawlessness in the state. While BJP leaders accused TMC supporters of targeting opposition workers, the TMC alleged that its cadres were now facing retaliatory attacks after the change in government. Kolkata Police recently announced restrictions on rallies involving bulldozers or earthmovers after visuals of demolition-linked political processions sparked public concern.
Banerjee’s courtroom intervention also carries symbolic significance at a time when she has questioned the legitimacy of the election outcome and alleged irregularities in the electoral process. Earlier this year, she had appeared before the Supreme Court regarding voter list revision-related concerns before returning to court now over alleged post-poll unrest.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Political change in a democracy must never translate into fear, revenge or collective punishment for ordinary citizens. Allegations of post-poll violence, regardless of which political side raises them, deserve impartial investigation and swift institutional response. Courts, police and elected leaders carry a constitutional responsibility to ensure that political rivalry does not erode public trust, social harmony or human dignity.
At a time when divisive rhetoric and retaliatory politics risk deepening tensions, Bengal needs restraint, accountability and dialogue more than confrontation. How can political parties and state institutions work together to ensure that elections remain a democratic exercise rather than a trigger for violence and insecurity?
Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today faced heavy sloganeering at Calcutta High Court. She was there to appear in a case seeking measures against post-election violence in WB. pic.twitter.com/h2IHs7BPfF
— Bar and Bench (@barandbench) May 14, 2026
