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WB panchayat polls: Cal HC asks SEC to deploy over 82,000 central forces personnel
The SEC informed the court that it has so far requisitioned six companies of central forces for the July 8 panchayat polls
The Calcutta high court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) to send requisition for more than 82,000 central forces personnel within 24 hours for deployment in all districts across the state ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections.
A division bench presided by chief justice TS Sivagnanam noted that the SEC had requisitioned 82,000 central forces personnel during the 2013 panchayat elections in the state.
“The SEC shall within 24 hours, requisition sufficient number of central forces to be deployed in all the districts. The number of companies shall be not less than the force which was requisitioned for the 2013 election. It has to be definitely more as the number of districts has increased. The electorate would have also increased in these ten years,” the division bench said.
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The SEC informed the court that it has so far requisitioned six companies of central forces for the July 8 panchayat polls.
Noting that the number of districts in West Bengal has increased from 17 in 2013 to 22 at present, and also that the number of the electorate has increased in these 10 years, the court directed the SEC to requisition in 24 hours a sufficient number of central forces personnel.
On Tuesday, the state poll panel had placed requisition for only 22 companies of central forces (each company comprise around 80 active personnel) after the Supreme Court approved the deployment of central forces for the upcoming panchayat polls in West Bengal and junked petitions filed by the state government and the state poll panel against a Calcutta HC order in this regard.
With around 62,000 polling stations in the state for the single-phase July 8 polls, the high court said that 1,700 paramilitary personnel (22 companies) would be thoroughly inadequate.
The SEC counsel informed the court that the poll panel has sent requisitions to five states - Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha - for their state police to be deployed during panchayat polls.
The court expressed its displeasure on hearing that the forces from the five states were scheduled to arrive on July 6, just two days before the polls.
The division bench also slammed the state poll panel and pulled up the state election commissioner Rajiva Sinha.
“We have no hesitation in our mind to hold the order has not been complied with in letter and spirit. We fail to understand why the State Election Commission is still not taking an independent decision on the matter. If it is very difficult for the commissioner to take orders he can step down. Probably the Governor may appoint someone else,” the court said.
Top officials of the SEC refused to comment on the court’s observations saying that the poll panel will abide by the court orders.
“Any effort to make the order unworkable may result in adverse consequences,” the court warned.
