The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday approached the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court order restraining it from publishing any kind of derogatory advertisements against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) which violated the model code of conduct during the ongoing general election to the Lok Sabha.
Making a plea for an urgent listing of the petition on Monday, May 27, a lawyer appearing for the BJP told a bench of Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal that the High Court has restrained the BJP from issuing advertisements during the Lok Sabha polls till June 4, the day the election process ends.
“We will see,” the bench said.
The BJP has challenged the May 22, 2024, order of the division bench of the Calcutta High Court refusing to interfere with a single judge order directing the Bharatiya Janata Party not to publish any advertisement violative of the Model Code of Conduct during the Lok Sabha election.
While refusing to interfere with the single judge order, the division bench had observed that a “Laxman Rekha” should be adhered to and there should not be any personal attack on the part of any political party.
The division bench had also emphasised that it was imperative that all political parties follow healthy electoral practices, as the ultimate victim of the misleading electoral campaigns was the voter.
The BJP had contended before the division bench that the single judge passed the order without giving it any hearing.