Advocate-general S.N. Mukherji informed Calcutta High Court on Thursday that the state government was in favour of holding Ganga Sagar Mela from January 8 to 16 on Sagar Island like previous year by adhering to Covid-19 norms.

Mukherji conveyed the state’s wish to a division bench that had asked the government to inform the court by 2pm on Thursday about its view in response to a public interest litigation seeking the cancellation of Ganga Sagar Mela this year because of a spike in Covid cases in Bengal.

The division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Kesang Doma Bhutia had issued the directive on the basis of the petition filed by social activist Avinandan Mandal.

The advocate-general said: “The government does not want to stop the mela considering the spiritual belief of the people.” He said the government would ensure all steps to implement Covid protocol at the Mela and 4,000 volunteers would be deployed to monitor it.

Mandal’s lawyer Srijib Chakraborty opposed the government’s argument. After hearing both the sides, the court adjourned the verdict. The court is likely to deliver its verdict on Friday.

Speaking to reporters at Nabanna on Thursday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee avoided replying to a query on whether the state government would call off the mela in view of the spike in Covid cases saying the matter was sub-judice.