'State Employees Requested To Participate In International Yoga Day Event To Set World Record': WB Govt Tells Calcutta High Court

The West Bengal Government on Thursday defended its decision to encourage participation of government employees in the International Yoga Day celebrations to be held at Kolkata's Red Road, telling the Calcutta High Court that employees were merely requested—and not compelled—to attend the event, which aims to set a Guinness World Record.

The submission was made before Justice Amrita Sinha, hearing a plea challenging government communications issued in connection with the International Yoga Day celebrations scheduled for June 21, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya argued that the circular was in the form of a mandatory directive. as i asked all nodal heads to "encourage the participation of state employees to ensure the widest possible participation."

Howver the court noted, "it does not mean mandatory." At that stage the petitioners sought the court to declare that it was not a mandatory directive.

Appearing for the State, Additional Advocate General Billwadal Bhattacharya submitted that the circulars issued by the government only requested participation and could not be construed as mandatory directions.

"Let them choose whether to partcipate or not. If there are any consequences, they can approach court. It is a program by the United Nations, headed by India and this time from Kolkata. It conveys that the government is concerned about the health of the citizens of the country.," he said.

"It is my choice to be healthy or not," Senior Advocate Bhattacharya responded. However, the court interjected, "You cannot choose to be unhealthy. You are a state employee. The state will not want that its employees are unhealthy."

The AAG argued that the objective behind encouraging participation was to facilitate a Guinness World Record attempt during the event. He submitted that the communications merely requested government employees to join the programme and did not contain any coercive directions requiring attendance.

Responding to the challenge, the State also contended that participation in the event was voluntary and that no adverse consequences would follow if employees chose not to attend.

The petitioners, however, contended that the official communications created an impression that attendance was obligatory and amounted to compelling government employees to participate in an event associated with the Prime Minister's programme. They argued that the State could not indirectly mandate participation in such an event through official channels.

Accordingly, the court has listed the matter tomorrow for the AAG to get instructions on the nature of the circular.

Case No: WPA/13466/2026

Case: STATE COORDINATION COMMITEE OF THE WEST BENGAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND ORS VS STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ANR