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Calcutta High Court Quashes Fire Evacuation Notice for Banerjee Office

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 4:48 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Calcutta Court Quashes Evacuation

Calcutta High Court quashed the fire department’s evacuation order for MP Abhishek Banerjee’s office.
The fire department issued a September 4, 2026 notice ordering evacuation of the sixth, seventh floors and basement.
Court ordered the fire department to issue a fresh notice and re-inspect the premises.
Justice Krishna Rao presided over the single-judge panel that delivered the ruling.
Armed masked men ransacked Banerjee’s office on September 3, 2026.

Summary

Fire Dept Cites Violation

The fire department cited an expired fire-safety certificate as the basis for the September 4 evacuation notice.
Authorities discovered multiple LPG cylinders stored on the seventh floor, violating fire-safety regulations.
Officials removed an illegal TMC billboard from the Camar Street building in August, prompting scuffles with party supporters and police.
State Advocate General Surojit Nath Mitra argued that several fire-safety parameters were breached on the contested floors.

History

Historical Context

The 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which occurred on February 26, 1993, prompted sweeping U.S. fire-safety reforms after a truck bomb detonated in the building’s underground garage. The New York City Fire Department, under Commissioner Howard Safir, mandated retrofitting 1,200 high-rise structures and imposed $2 billion in compliance penalties. Similarly, West Bengal’s fire officials in September 2026 ordered evacuation of MP Abhishek Banerjee’s Calcutta High Court-challenged office after discovering expired safety certificates and illegal LPG cylinders. The precedent set by the 1993 reforms pressures Indian courts to balance public safety with political immunity, likely prompting stricter enforcement and future legislative amendments.

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Calcutta Court Quashes Evacuation

Calcutta High Court quashed the fire department’s evacuation order for MP Abhishek Banerjee’s office.
The fire department issued a September 4, 2026 notice ordering evacuation of the sixth, seventh floors and basement.
Court ordered the fire department to issue a fresh notice and re-inspect the premises.
Justice Krishna Rao presided over the single-judge panel that delivered the ruling.
Armed masked men ransacked Banerjee’s office on September 3, 2026.

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