Court Rejects West Bengal Govt Claim on Circuit House Allocation

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court dismissed the West Bengal government's contention that circuit house rooms should be allocated solely on the basis of availability. The case was sparked by MP Mahua Moitra’s petition alleging that the state’s September 1 circular unfairly restricted her stay at the Krishna Nagar circuit house. The bench noted that the circular’s three‑ to four‑day notice requirement seemed designed to create a disadvantage for Trinamool legislators. While the state argued that repair work justified the rule, the court found no substantive evidence that alternative accommodation was offered on equal terms. Chief Justice Surya Kant clarified that an MP’s right to occupy a circuit house, especially when representing the same district, carries a preferential status. Consequently, the court ordered the district administration to honor a one‑day notice from Moitra before providing lodging. The judgment also directed officials to investigate the list of eighteen pending projects Moitra submitted, ensuring that the development agenda for the constituency proceeds without further obstruction.