Kolkata: Maintaining that the ruling Left Front will seek both legal and extra-legal means to fight out the Calcutta High Court's order banning rallies and processions during specified hours on weekdays in Kolkata, Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPM) on October 6 said the "judiciary is not above politics" and it should ensure that it performed its role to protect people's Democratic rights.

"There is no question of Left parties going in for a confrontation with the judiciary over the issue. Calcutta High Court order has harmed the Democratic rights of the people to assemble and register protest. And we will seek both legal and extra-legal means to fight out the order," CPM state secretary Anil Biswas told reporters.

"Judiciary is not above politics. It should ensure that it performs its role to protect the Democratic rights of the people which have been earned through long struggles."

Biswas's observations came in the wake of West Bengal's ruling Left Front decision on October 4 directing all its mass organisations to protest against the ruling by organising processions "where and when" possible.

"Since the vacation Bench directed that appeal against the ruling could be filed only before a regular Bench which sits from October 28, we have directed our mass organisations to hold protests in the meantime and organise processions where and when possible," Front chairman Biman Bose said.

As its first step of protest, the Front would organise a convention at the Mahajati Sadan on October 8, Bose said, adding that mass organisations would be "free to come in processions" to the venue.

PTI