Calcutta High Court on Monday issued an interim order which empowered the Purulia district magistrate to handle the daily affairs of Jhalda municipality and stayed a December 3 notification of the state government that had appointed a Trinamul Congress councillor to run the civic body.

Congress councillors on Monday moved a petition before Justice Amrita Sinha challenging the appointment of the administrator at the civic body on Saturday. The judge fixed January 3 for hearing the case.

Trinamul had formed the board at Jhalda with the support of two Independent councillors. After the Independents withdrew the support recently, Trinamul lost the majority. The Congress was set to form the board when the government appointed a Trinamul councillor as the administrator.

Dubai eye treatment

Justice Bibek Choudhuri of Calcutta High Court on Monday remarked: “Though Dubai is not good enough for eye treatment, if any person likes to go there for treatment, he should not be prevented.”

The judge was hearing an accused trader’s plea to go to the USA for treatment.

In June, Trinamul leader Abhisekh Banjerjee had been allowed by the court of Justice Choudhuri to go to Dubai for eye treatment.