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Central forces to stay in Bengal for 10 more days: Calcutta HC
The Calcutta High Court has allowed central forces to stay in violence-hit areas of West Bengal for another 10 days, leaving it up to the Centre to withdraw them in phases. The BJP and Congress had sought central forces after clashes broke out following the announcement of poll dates. The ruling Trinamool Congress won 51.5% of the vote share in the state's three-tier panchayat elections, with the BJP winning 23%. Some opposition parties claim at least 55 people have been killed in poll-related violence, while the state government says the death toll is 29.
Kolkata With more allegations of post-poll violence pouring in from in some pockets of West Bengal, the Calcutta high court on Monday allowed central forces to stay in violence-hit areas in the state for another 10 days, leaving it to the Centre to withdraw them in phases during this period.
The court was told by the Centre that 821 companies were deployed in the state during the polls on the orders of the high court, and that at least 136 companies of these have bene withdrawn in phases since polling ended on July 8 and results were announced on July 11.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured 51.5% of the votes polled in three-tier panchayat elections in the state. The BJP won 23% of the vote share.
“Wherever, in the opinion of the state government and the state election commission, disturbance is still going on, such areas shall be identified so that the remaining central forces can be deployed in the places and be allowed to continue for a period of 10 days. It is well open to the Centre to withdraw the forces in a phased manner,” said a division bench presided over by the chief justice of the Calcutta high court TS Sivagnanam.
The BJP and the Congress moved the Calcutta high court seeking central forces after clashes broke out in the state following the poll panel’s announcement of poll dates.
The Calcutta high court had initially directed the SEC to deploy central forces in sensitive districts. Two days later, the high court directed that central forces be deployed in all districts. The state government and the SEC moved the apex court. The apex court on Tuesday upheld the order of the Calcutta high court.
Later the Calcutta high court directed the state poll panel to seek more than 82,000 central force personnel. At least 821 companies of central forces were sent to the state for the polls. Allegations however surfaced that the SEC didn’t cooperate when it came to their deployment. At least 18 persons were killed on the poll day.
While some opposition parties, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have alleged that at least 55 people were killed in poll-related violence since elections were announced last month, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee recently said that the death toll was 29.
A series of petitions were filed in various benches of the Calcutta high court over poll violence, rigging of polls, deployment of central forces, and repolls in 696 booths.
The Calcutta high court on Monday directed the police to escort people who have been allegedly driven out of the houses so that they can return home. The superintendent of police of the districts concerned were directed to monitor the situation so that people can reach their villages and live peacefully.
The bench also expressed its displeasure on the series of petitions and supplementary affidavits that were being filed in matters related to panchayat elections.
“Entire list is clogged with election matters. Nothing can be done. You blame your friends for that. Already 40 to 50 matters have been given. The list is not moving. Absolutely no work is being going on in this court for the past two and half months,” the bench said.
This was not the first time that the court has expressed its displeasure on the situation.
“As if we don’t have any work. We have been doing work. For two-and-a-half months we have been arguing panchayat matters from 10.30am to 5.30pm. There is an impression that the court is doing no other work,” a division bench had observed last week.
“It is a high court order. The central has already started to withdraw some companies,” said Jay Prakash Majumdar, state vice president of TMC said.
“So much violence wouldn’t have taken place had central forces been deployed soon after elections were declared,” said Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson.
