West Bengal Government's Saffron Colour Initiative Faces Legal Setback

The initiative by the West Bengal government to paint public property in saffron colour hit a legal roadblock when the Calcutta High Court dismissed a public‑interest lawsuit challenging the move. The case was presented by a lawyer‑petitioner who claimed that the expenditure on saffron paint for places like the Academy of Fine Arts and a media institute’s gate was a waste of public resources. The bench comprising Chief Justice R.V. Guhag and Justice Arijit Banerjee concluded that the petitioner failed to establish a compelling reason for judicial interference. The court consequently allowed the petitioner to pull back the plea and dismissed it. The judgment came shortly after the High Court rescinded an eviction notice issued by the state fire‑service to a Trinamool Congress office on Camac Street, emphasizing the need for prior fire‑safety inspections.