Kolkata’s high court made a key adjustment on Monday to motorcycle usage rules just before the final leg of West Bengal’s assembly polls. A division bench of Justices Shampa Sarkar and Ajay Kumar Gupta ruled that group travel on two-wheelers, alongside rallies, stands banned from April 27 through 29—covering polling day and the two days prior.
The order stems from the CEO’s challenge to a single bench decision on April 24 by Justice Krishna Rao, which struck down a notification imposing near-total curbs on bikes from evening to morning pre-polling. The judge reasoned that while preventing violence via rally bans was valid, a complete halt to two-wheeler traffic lacked legal grounding and unfairly burdened everyday users like delivery workers and commuters.
Permissible limits from the single bench included no rallies two days before votes, no pillion passengers 12 hours prior (barring emergencies), and controlled access on election day for necessities. Service providers with proper identification were spared.
In upholding security needs for tranquil polls, the bench introduced targeted changes: prohibiting group bike rides and rallies in the specified window, without altering other aspects of the original ruling. This nuanced verdict reflects ongoing tensions between electoral safeguards and personal freedoms in a politically charged atmosphere.
With motorcycles often central to campaign fervor—and occasionally mischief—these rules seek to level the playing field. Political observers note that enforcement will be pivotal, as past elections in Bengal have seen two-wheelers used for both mobilization and intimidation. The court’s intervention ensures a tighter leash on potential disruptions while preserving essential mobility.
