E-Paper
Calcutta HC orders deployment of central forces for West Bengal panchayat polls
The order came amid reports of sporadic violence in several districts over filing of nominations that started on June 9
Central paramilitary forces must be deployed in seven sensitive districts and other areas witnessing law-and-order problems to ensure free and fair panchayat elections in West Bengal on July 8, the Calcutta high court ordered on Tuesday. The court also declined to extend the polling date or the period for filing of nominations.
Also read: Bengal panchayat polls to be held in single phase on July 8: State election body
The order came amid reports of sporadic violence in several districts over filing of nominations that started on June 9 — hours after the state election commission (SEC) announced the polls on June 8 — and will continue till June 15.
A division bench headed by chief justice TS Sivagnanam also ordered the SEC to install CCTV cameras in all polling stations.
“…We are of the view that the state election commission should and shall requisition the deployment of central forces to work in tandem with the police force of the state of West Bengal to ensure free and fair elections,” the bench also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya said in its order, a copy of which HT has seen.
The court order came on separate petitions filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari and state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on June 9, a day after state poll commissioner Rajiva Sinha announced the schedule of the three-tier — zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats — elections.
“The court ordered that the Centre has to provide the paramilitary force units to the state free of cost,” said lawyer Koustav Bagchi, representing Chowdhury. “The order said that SEC has to decide their deployment after reviewing law and order problems along with the state administration.”
The districts earmarked as sensitive by the SEC are Birbhum, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Murshidabad, East Midnapore and Jalpaiguri.
“…We direct the State Election Commission to install CCTV cameras in all polling stations and only those polling stations where it is technically not feasible to install CCTV cameras, the entire process commencing from the filing of the nomination papers till the declaration of the result have to be videographed,” the bench ordered.
In their petitions, the Congress and BJP leaders had also demanded extension of the polling date and deadline for filing of nomination, but the bench did not order any changes in the election schedule. The judges, however, on Monday suggested that polling may be held on July 14 and nominations can be filed between June 15 and 21.
“The judges did not allow filing of nominations online or through social media apps as demanded by the petitioners,” said lawyer and Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee, representing the state. “The court also refused to extend the daily timing for filing of nomination, which is from 11 am to 3 pm.”
State chief secretary HK Dwivedi held a meeting with SEC officials soon after the court order. The SEC also held an all-party meeting for the first time on Tuesday afternoon.
“The attitude of the SEC was not inspiring. It is doubtful that the order of the court will be followed in letter and spirit,” CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty, who attended the meeting, said. “The SEC is acting like an arm of the state government which should not be the case.”
Meanwhile, several Opposition parties in the state alleged that workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) resorted to violence and stopped their candidates from filling nomination papers.
“Crude bombs were hurled at random by miscreants at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas. One policeman was injured when glass bottles were hurled at him,” a police officer said, requesting anonymity. “The situation was brought under control late in the afternoon.”
Indian Secular Front (ISF) leader Nawsad Siddique, who represents the Bhangar assembly constituency, alleged that one of his party workers sustained bullet injury while several others were injured in attacks.
Also read: Congress to Bengal guv on panchayat polls: 'TMC thugs preying like monsters'
Senior TMC leader Arabul Islam, however, claimed that his car was ransacked by ISF workers who also planted a crude bomb in the glove compartment to implicate him.
“Let the state police investigate and find the truth,” Siddique said.
BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh welcomed the court order. “The judiciary realises that no election can be held in Bengal without deploying central forces. Violence intensifies especially during panchayat and civic body elections,” Ghosh added.
