Calcutta : High Court judge Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, known for his impactful rulings on various education-related matters in the state, has announced his decision to resign on Tuesday, stirring speculation about a possible entry into politics.
Justice Gangopadhyay refrained from confirming whether he plans to venture into politics, stating that he would address all media queries following the submission of his resignation.
"I will resign from the post of Justice of Calcutta High Court on Tuesday," he informed reporters outside his residence on Sunday.
Scheduled for retirement later this year, Justice Gangopadhyay stated that he would submit his resignation to the President of India on Tuesday's first hour, with copies sent to the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court.
He gained attention for his swift directives, often mandating compliance within hours, and received appreciation from various sections of society, particularly aspiring candidates for school jobs.
However, his remarks in specific cases have occasionally stirred dissatisfaction among certain leaders of the ruling party in the state.
Justice Gangopadhyay's decision comes after a series of events, including a tussle between his single bench and a division bench of the high court over instituting a CBI probe in an alleged scam regarding caste certificates for reserved category MBBS seats in West Bengal. The Supreme Court intervened in January, transferring all related petitions to itself.
"Tomorrow will be my last day as a judge. I will not hear or adjudicate any matter and will release some cases which have been part-heard in my court," he declared.
Justice Gangopadhyay, who had been on leave for the past week due to personal reasons, stated that his resignation would take effect immediately upon submission.
He announced that he would address journalists' queries at 1:30 pm on Tuesday in front of the legendary freedom fighter Masterda Surya Sen's statue in front of the high court buildings after tendering his resignation.
Justice Gangopadhyay, who practiced law at the high court, joined the Calcutta High Court as an additional judge on May 2, 2018. He was elevated as a permanent judge on July 30, 2020, according to data on the high court's website.
Amid speculations regarding his potential entry into politics, reactions from various political leaders surfaced. Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, suggested waiting for Justice Gangopadhyay to announce his future plans before making any assumptions.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh expressed his support for Justice Gangopadhyay's potential political involvement, stating, "It is good if such people join politics." However, he cautioned that questions may arise regarding Justice Gangopadhyay's previous orders and observations, regardless of the party he joins.
Senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, emphasizing Justice Gangopadhyay's decision as personal, stated that it would be beneficial if he joined politics, particularly as an independent, to work against corruption. Bhattacharya expressed confidence that anyone opposing corruption, including the Left parties, would stand by Justice Gangopadhyay.