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The Calcutta High Court has allowed an employees' union of the Eastern Railway's Sealdah Division to organise Durga Puja on a demarcated portion of a railway ground, alongside the Sealdah Railway Athletic Club, observing that Puja is meant for the public and that organisers merely execute the celebrations.

A Division Bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Justice Arjun Ray Mukherjee set aside a Single Judge's order dated October 6, 2026, which had permitted the Sealdah Railway Athletic Club to hold Durga Puja on the railway ground. The Bench held that the permission granted to the Bharatiya Railway P. Shramik Union (Eastern Railway) had been withdrawn without providing it an opportunity of hearing or recording adequate reasons.

“Puja is not the private affair of the organizers, but it is for the citizens,” the Court observed while issuing directions to facilitate the celebrations by both groups.

The Bench directed the railway authorities to demarcate a portion of the ground where the employees' union could organise its Puja within 24 hours, based on communications received from the advocates representing both parties.

The Court clarified that the union would not be entitled to an equal share of the ground, as the athletic club had already constructed its pandal there. The arrangement would remain limited to the 2026 Durga Puja and would not create any equity in favour of either party for subsequent years.

The appeals arose from a dispute over permission to organise Durga Puja on a ground belonging to the Railway authorities. The employees' union, which had approached the Court against the withdrawal of its permission, contended that it had been permitted to perform Khuti Puja on the same ground alongside the athletic club.

Khuti Puja marks the beginning of Durga Puja preparations. According to the union, the authorities had withdrawn its permission without assigning any reasons, rendering the decision legally unsustainable.

Appearing for the athletic club, advocate Firdous Shamim submitted that the club had been organising Durga Puja at the venue for a long time. He argued that there was no question of cancelling the club's Puja, adding that the permission granted to the employees' union had already been withdrawn by the authorities.

The Railways, meanwhile, submitted that a dispute had broken out between the two factions on the day of Khuti Puja. The cancellation of the union's permission was therefore undertaken for administrative reasons to control the situation.

The Division Bench, however, found that the union's permission had been withdrawn without a hearing and without recording what had transpired on the day of Khuti Puja. It also noted that the order did not explain why permission had been withdrawn only from the union when both groups had initially been permitted to use the ground.

The Court further recorded that the union had deposited the requisite fees for the permission.

Directing both groups to maintain peace and tranquillity and respect each other's sentiments, the Bench instructed the police to keep a vigil and provide necessary assistance if required by the Railway authorities.

The Court also directed all parties to remain present during the demarcation process and cooperate with the authorities without raising further objections or approaching the Court for unnecessary intervention on frivolous grounds. The advocates on record for the respective writ petitions were directed to act as observers to ensure the smooth conduct of the celebrations.

Case Title: Bharatiya Railway P. Shramik Union (E. Rly) & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors.; Bharatiya Railway P. Shramik Union (E. Rly) & Anr. v. Sealdah Railway Athletic Club & Ors.

Case Numbers: MAT 1778 of 2026 and MAT 1781 of 2026

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