The Calcutta High Court on Monday said the DYFI had violated its 2007 order during a rally it organised at Brigade Parade Ground on December 20 last year and directed the court administration to serve a show-cause notice to the outfit asking it why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against it.

On September 28, 2007, the HC had banned burning of leaves and use of open ovens in the Maidan by activists during a political rally. The court had ruled that any outfit holding a rally would have to give an undertaking in this regard to the Kolkata Police.

DYFI president Pratim Ghosh will have to reply within seven days as to why contempt proceedings and penal action should not be initiated against him and the organisation.

A division bench of Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and R N Banerjee issued the directive against Ghosh, who had given an undertaking to the Kolkata Police saying he would ensure that the HC order would be maintained during the rally.

During the hearing on Monday, the bench also saw the media reports pointing out the violation of its order during the DYFI rally.

In another development, environmentalist Subhas Dutta moved the HC saying its order has been violated during the rally held by Left Front on Sunday at the Maidan.

The HC has now asked the Army authorities to place a report on how the Maidan had been damaged during the DYFI rally and more recently, the Left Front rally on Sunday.

In his petition, Dutta pleaded that since the army owned the Brigade Parade Ground as well as the Maidan, it should deploy its personnel look after the Maidan during any rally or meeting. The division bench asked Dutta to file an application on the matter.

It was Dutta who had had moved a petition on December 22, two days after the DYFI rally at the Brigade Parade ground and said open ovens were used by the activists during the rally and vehicles parked inside the Ground in violation of the court’s order.