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Panchayat polls: Cal HC orders probe into alleged tampering of nomination papers
Justice Amrita Sinha directed the CBI joint director to probe into the allegation by July 5 and submit a report before the court on July 7, when the matter would be heard again
The Calcutta high court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe into the alleged tampering of documents and misrepresenting information by a returning officer in Howrah district for the July 8 West Bengal panchayat polls.
Justice Amrita Sinha directed the CBI joint director to probe into the allegation by July 5 and submit a report before the court on July 7, when the matter would be heard again.
The order comes after the high court heard the petition filed by two Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidates who alleged that the returning officer had tampered with their nomination documents.
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Petitioners’ lawyer Sabyasachi Chatterjee submitted that both the candidates are of the Other Backward Class-A category having proper certificates, however, in the documents of the panchayat election, the returning officer mentioned them as Scheduled Castes-W and that it was pending in their record.
The petitioners prayed for an investigation by an independent agency into the allegation of tampering.
The high court observed that the contention of the state and the State Election Commission (SEC) could not be accepted since the officer against whom the allegation is made is in service with the state authorities and responsible for fairly conducting the election.
While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed the high court’s order, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) called the order unjust.
“It is unprecedented and another legal slap on the state and the SEC. We welcome this order,” Sukanta Majumdar, state BJP president, told the media.
“This isn’t justice. A CBI probe is being ordered even during panchayat polls. This is most unfortunate,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson said.
The elections to the three-tier panchayat system are scheduled to be held in one phase on July 8.
