Supreme Court Orders Bengal to Keep National Highway 31A Open During Darjeeling Bandh

Acting on a petition of O.P.Bhandari, a Sikkim Resident, the Supreme Court today (3rd July'08) asked the West Bengal Government to ensure that the sole highway, NH 31A, joining Sikkim with the rest of the country was open to traffic when indefinite Bandh in the Darjeeling Hills resumes on 5^th July.

Reacting strongly against the Bandh culture, the bench consisting of Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice G.S.Singhvi said, “You (West Bengal Government) are waiting for a court order to do something that you should do yourself….. and then you say that there is interference and judicial overreach. You are the State of West Bengal. You are required to maintain law and order ……keep the National Highway (31A) open to traffic”

The bench also directed the Central Government to  provide whatever   help   the   Sikkim   and  the  Bengal Governments require  in  the  matter. The  bench also referred to the recent Bandh   in   Hyderabad   during   which  seven  patient  died because they could not reach hospital in time.

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