A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday set aside an earlier judgement by the single bench that allowed the Bharatiya Janata Party to hold public rallies in West Bengal, ANI reported. The state government had moved an appeal challenging the single bench’s order.

The state government had requested an urgent hearing and had moved the appeal before a division bench of Chief Justice Debasish Kargupta and Justice Shampa Sarkar. The court had allowed the move and directed the state’s counsel to provide copies of the appeal to the BJP.

Party chief Amit Shah was scheduled to launch a statewide programme at a public rally in Cooch Behar on December 7. The BJP moved the High Court after the state government did not respond to its requests for permission. The court asked the state government and the BJP leadership to discuss the matter, but the government refused permission. The BJP then moved the High Court with a fresh plea.

The Trinamool Congress-led government had on December 15 refused permission for the rallies citing intelligence reports that purportedly warned of possible communal violence in areas where the party planned to hold the events.