Sankar Das Banerji (January 1903 – 23 March 1994) was a Bengali Indian politician and barrister. He was the Speaker of West Bengal State Assembly and former Finance Minister of West Bengal.[1] Banerji was a prominent criminal lawyer of his time in the Calcutta High Court.[2] His nephew Satyabrata Mookherjee was a former Indian Union Minister of State.

Early life edit

Banerji was born in Kolkata in 1903 in British India. He hails from a Jamindar family of Paglachandi village, Plassey in Nadia district. His father passed from University College Hospital, of London and worked with Louis Pasteur. Banerji studied in Hindu School, Kolkata and acquired law degree from the Calcutta University, later he joined Lincoln's Inn, called to the Bar in 1927. After returning to India he started practice in the Calcutta High Court.[2] He served as the Standing Counsel of Government of West Bengal in Calcutta High Court from 1950 to 1957. He was appointed Advocate General in 1967.[3][4]

Political career edit

He joined Indian National Congress for active politics in 1952. Banerji was elected to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.[5] In 1968, Banerji formed the Indian National Democratic Front.[6] He became the Speaker of West Bengal State Assembly since 1957 to 1959[7][8] and Finance and Transport Minister during the period of 1962–63.[9] He also contested 1980 and 1984 Indian general election from Krishnanagar Lok Sabha but lost.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ Chakrabarty, Saroj (1978). With West Bengal Chief Ministers: Memoirs, 1962 to 1977. Chakrabarty. ISBN 978-0-86131-117-0.
  2. ^ a b "Obituary: Sankardas Banerji". The Independent. 1 April 1994. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  3. ^ Sabha, India Parliament Lok (1982). Lok Sabha Debates. Lok Sabha Secretariat.
  4. ^ "The Bar Council of West Bengal :: History". wbbarcouncil.org. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  5. ^ Civic Affairs. P. C. Kapoor at the Citizen Press. 1957.
  6. ^ Zaidi, A. Moin (1990). The Story of Congress Pilgrimage: 1964-1970. Indian Institute of Applied Political Research. ISBN 978-81-85355-52-8.
  7. ^ "West Bengal Speaker List With Name | List of Speakers of West Bengal Legislative Assembly - Oneindia". www.oneindia.com. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  8. ^ THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY, A Calcutta Diary. "The Politics of Successful Men" (PDF). Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  9. ^ India, a Reference Annual. Research and Reference Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. 1963.
  10. ^ "🗳️ Sankar Das Banerji, Krishnanagar Lok Sabha Elections 1984-85 in India LIVE Results | Latest News, Articles & Statistics". LatestLY. Retrieved 2 June 2022.