Srimanta Shit and Ors. Vs the Managing Director and Chief Exe. (Md and Ceo), PNB and Ors. — Calcutta HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Srimanta Shit and Ors. Vs the Managing Director and Chief Exe. (Md and Ceo), PNB and Ors. — Calcutta HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Direction to respondent no.2/3 to consider the mass representation dated 5.4.2026 in accordance with law after giving due chance of hearing to the authorized representative of the writ petitioners, pass a reasoned order and forthwith communicate the same to the writ petitioners; the entire exercise to be completed within sixty working days from communication of the server copy of the order, the time limit being peremptory and mandatory.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondent bank should be directed to consider the writ petitioners' mass representation dated 5.4.2026 against its decision to shift the branch.

Court's answer

While disposing the writ petition, the Court directed the respondent no.2/3 authority to consider the mass representation dated 5.4.2026 in accordance with law, after giving due chance of hearing to the authorized representative of the writ petitioners, and to pass a reasoned order and forthwith communicate the same to the writ petitioners.

Ratio / Principle

The entire exercise of considering the representation, affording hearing and passing/communicating the reasoned order is to be completed within sixty working days from the date of communication of the server copy of the order by the learned advocate for the writ petitioners; the time limit fixed by the Court is peremptory and mandatory.

Key takeaways

The Court did not go into the merits of the writ petition vis-a-vis the mass representation dated 5.4.2026; all points are kept open for adjudication by the respondent no.2/3.ratio¶22

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

WPA(P) 220 of 2026, order dated 11.05.2026 (bench: Sujoy Paul, CJ. and Partha Sarathi Sen, J.; dictated by Sen, J.). Srimanta Shit & Ors. v. The Managing Director and Chief Executive (MD & CEO), Punjab National Bank & Ors. The writ petition sought consideration of the petitioners' mass representation dated 5.4.2026, submitted to the Regional Manager, Punjab National Bank, Tamluk, Purba Medinipur, against the bank's decision to shift its branch. Disposing of the petition without entering into its merits, the Court directed respondent no.2/3 to consider the representation in accordance with law after giving due chance of hearing to the authorized representative of the writ petitioners, pass a reasoned order and forthwith communicate it to them; the entire exercise to be completed within sixty working days from communication of the server copy of the order, the time limit being peremptory and mandatory. All points kept open for adjudication by respondent no.2/3.

11.05.2026 Item No.19 Ct. No. 1 RP

WPA(P) 220 of 2026

Srimanta Shit & Ors. VS.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive (MD & CEO), Punjab National Bank & Ors.

Mr. Bharat Chandra Simai

…For Petitioners

Ms. Parna Roy Chowdhury

…For Respondents

Dictated by PARTHA SARATHI SEN, J.:-

Affidavit-of-service filed in Court today be taken on record.

The petitioners and the respondent bank are represented by their respective learned counsels.

By filing the instant writ petition the petitioners prayed for issuance of appropriate writ or writs against the respondent bank to consider their mass representation dated 5.4.2026, a copy of which has been annexed at page nos.62 and 63 of the instant writ petition.

In course of hearing the learned advocate appearing on behalf of the

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writ petitioners submits before this Court that for the reasons best known to the bank, the bank authority has decided to shift its branch to another place, to which a mass petition dated 5.4.2026 has been submitted with the Regional Manager of the Punjab National Bank, Tamluk, Purba Medinipur.

It is submitted further that it is the grievance of the writ petitioners that without considering the said mass representation dated 5.4.2026 the said respondent bank is bent upon to their decision to shift the branch.

Such submission is, however, opposed on behalf of the respondent bank.

On careful perusal of the entire materials and after hearing the learned advocates for the parties, we while disposing the instant writ petition directs the respondent

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no.2/3 authority to consider the said mass representation dated 5.4.2026 in accordance with law after giving due chance of hearing to the authorized representative of the writ petitioners and shall pass a reasoned order and forthwith communicate the same to the writ petitioners.

The entire exercise, as indicated in the foregoing paragraph, is to be completed within sixty working days from the date of communication of the server copy of this order by the learned advocate for the writ petitioners. The time limit as fixed by the Court is peremptory and mandatory.

It is, however, made clear that while disposing the instant writ petition we have not gone into the merits of the instant writ petition vis-à-vis the aforementioned mass representation dated 5.4.2026 and, thus, all points

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are kept open for adjudication by the respondent no.2/3.

With the aforementioned observation, the writ petition is disposed of.

(SUJOY PAUL, CJ.)

(PARTHA SARATHI SEN, J.)