HC cancels licence to Matua mela due to repealed act
Times of India | 14 March 2025
Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Thursday cancelled the licence granted by North 24 Parganas zilla parishad to the "sanghadhipati" of All India Matua Mahasangha, Mamata Bala Thakur, for holding the Matua Dharma Mela from March 27.
Justice Amrita Sinha held that the licence was given under the provisions of a repealed act. The North 24 Parganas zilla parishad granted the licence for holding the fair under provisions of the West Bengal Zilla Parishads Act, 1963.
Justice Sinha mentioned in her order that the said act was repealed after the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973, came into force. "Any licence issued under a repealed act can't be acted upon," the judge said.
There was another application before the zilla parishad by Union minister Shantanu Thakur on Feb 27. The additional executive officer didn't respond to the application on the grounds that it was not backed by required documents.
Justice Sinha directed the additional executive officer to consider the application and pass an order on whether to grant a licence to the fair or not after giving a hearing to the parties by March 19.
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