The Calcutta High Court Friday directed the West Bengal government to put on hold the distribution of funds on account of Durga Puja till Tuesday.
In an interim stay order, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Debasish Kar Gupta and Justice Shampa Sarkar asked the state government if there is any guideline, since a huge amount is involved.
The interim stay came after advocate Sourabh Dutta filed a PIL challenging the programme.
On September 10, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared that Rs 10,000 would be given to each of the 28,000 puja committees across the state - 3,000 in the city and 25,000 in the districts, costing the government an amount of Rs 28 crore.
Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya stated that such distribution of money among puja committees is 'unconstitutional', since it is not admissible on religious ground.
Opposing the prayer, state Advocate General Kishore Dutta submitted that the fund was for the purpose of the state government's 'Safe Drive Save Life' campaign and claimed that the PIL is as such not maintainable.
The advocate general prayed for time from the court for taking instruction from the state government and to produce documents with regard to the decision to disburse funds for the purpose of traffic safety or 'safe drive save life' campaign.
The PIL was filed on the basis of some newspaper reports and no research was done on this, he claimed.
The matter will be heard again on Tuesday.
"Want To Ask Congress...": Mamata Banerjee Snaps At Ally In Doctor Rape-Murder Case "Attempt To Save Accused Instead Of...": Rahul Gandhi On Doctor Rape-Murder More People Involved In Kolkata Doctor's Rape-Murder? What Top Cop Said Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing Bangladeshi Students On Alert, To Remain On Streets To Resist Chaos India's 78th Independence Day: A Tribute By Google Doodle "Full Of Negativity...": PM Slams Opposition In Independence Day Speech Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.