Mamata Banerjee appears as lawyer in court case linked to post-election unrest
Mamata urged the court to “protect” the people of Bengal and accused the police of failing to act against attacks and intimidation
Former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee today (14 May) appeared before the Calcutta High Court in a lawyer's robe in connection with a petition that alleged widespread violence against TMC workers after the results of the recent state assembly election were declared.
Mamata urged the court to "protect" the people of Bengal and accused the police of failing to act against attacks and intimidation.
Appearing before Chief Justice Sujoy Pal and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, she said, "My humble submission is to please protect the people of Bengal. This is not a bulldozer state."
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The case pertains to allegations of attacks on TMC workers and offices following the assembly elections that ended Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule and brought the BJP to power in the state.
Mamata Banerjee, who completed her law degree from Jogesh Chandra College of Law in Kolkata in 1982, also told the court, "This is the first time I am appearing in the High Court. As a lawyer, I'm fighting this case."
She alleged that violence and intimidation were continuing in several areas and sought urgent judicial intervention.
The PIL has been filed by advocate Shirshanya Bandyopadhyay, the son of TMC MP and lawyer Kalyan Banerjee, on behalf of TMC.
"We want immediate protection for the people. In front of police, they are capturing and looting houses and offices. I have already given pictures," Mamata said during the proceedings.
Kalyan Banerjee, who was also present in the courtroom, referred to the violence after the previous assembly elections in 2021 and said, "Take the 2021 post-poll violence case, the chief justice constituted a five-judge bench. The incidents of today are more than what happened at that time post-poll violence."
This was the second time Mamata appeared before a court as a lawyer. In February, as the then chief minister, she appeared before the Supreme Court to oppose the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
BJP won the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections with a landslide mandate, securing 207 seats and ending the 15-year rule of Trinamool Congress, which managed to secure only 80 seats.
