Read Time: 04 minutes

In a matter pertaining to choosing of newspapers by public libraries, the petitioner's informed the Calcutta High Court that public libraries have the power to decide which newspaper the libraries would subscribe to and that the State can not play any part in it. 

The matters pertains to the instructions issued by the Government to various public libraries in the State. A list of newspapers has been specified to be purchased. The grievance raised is that the newspapers in public libraries cannot be restricted.

Advocate General S.N. Mukherjee appearing for the state informed the Court that via 2012 notification, public libraries or libraries aided by the state should not spend funds in providing for newspaper which were political mouth pieces. The State has prepared a list of other newspaper including Times Of India , Economic Times, The Telegraph, the Himalayan Darpana, a Santhali language newspaper, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhaskar. AG Mukherjee submitted that, a further set of Bengali newspaper has been included in the list including Anandabazar Patrika,  Bartaman, Aajkal, Sangbad Protidin. Further an Urdu language newspaper has also been included. 

The AG submitted that a comprehensive bouquet of list has been designed keeping in mind requirement of langauges, the requirement of local people around the local libraries.

Advocate Sabyasachi Chatterjee appearing for the petitioner submitted that even though the original orders have been substituted by a new notification, but still state has imposed restriction in the power of libraries to chosse newspaper. Advocate Chatterjee further submitted that under the West Bengal Public Library Act, 1979, the library has power to decide the same. 

On Friday, the Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj, directed the petitioners to collect the complete set of papers from the concerned Registrar of the department at his own cost and argued the matter on the next date of hearing which is 2nd March, 2022.

Gopal Das v. State Of West Bengal & Ors.