HC stays Visva-Bharati’s eviction notice to Amartya Sen

The Calcutta High Court asked the Suri district judge to hear Amartya Sen’s appeal against the Visva-Bharati eviction on May 10 and stayed the VB’s eviction order till the Suri judge disposes off Sen’s appeal. VB had given Sen a May 6 deadline either to vacate the 13 decimals of land in Pratichi or face forcible eviction. Justice Bibhas Ranjan De in his two-page order said, “Having heard the learned advocates, the learned District Judge, Birbhum is requested to hear the stay application on 10th May, 2023 and till then the order of Joint Registrar Visva Bharati & Estate Officer should not been forced or till the date of disposal of the stay application, whichever is later.” When the matter came up for hearing Sen’s counsel Jayanta Mitra said the district judge had failed to act by not passing any order on Sen’s appeal. VB’s counsel Sucharita Biswas argued if the district judge did not pass any order, there is no basis to challenge anything.