E-Paper
Supreme Court agrees to hear plea challenging order to deploy central forces for West Bengal panchayat polls
Calcutta high court had earlier ordered the deployment of central paramilitary forces in seven districts of the state ahead of the panchayat elections.
Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea filed by the West Bengal state election commission (WBSEC) against the Calcutta high court order directing the deployment of central forces in the state in the wake of violence ahead of the panchayat elections.
Also read: ‘Political violence will not to be tolerated’: West Bengal governor in Bhangore
Earlier, the Calcutta high court ordered the deployment of central paramilitary forces in seven sensitive districts along with other areas of the state to conduct free and fair panchayat elections, after witnessing law-and-order problems. The order came after reports of sporadic violence in several districts over filing of nominations that started on June 9 which continued till June 15. The panchayat elections are scheduled be held on July 8.
Following the Calcutta HC order, the WBSEC moved the apex court on Saturday challenging it. The state election commission's move is contrary to the remarks Rajiva Sinha, newly-appointed state election commissioner, made about following the high court order.
Earlier, chief minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the decision to deploy central forces in the state and argued that such forces had been sent to Manipur and violence has still not ended there.
The opposition parties in the state, on the other hand, criticised the WBSEC's move to contest the high court order when it said that the cost of the deployment would be borne by the Centre instead of the state government.
Seven people have been killed since the announcement of the panchayat polls. A BJP worker was found dead in the state's Cooch Behar district late on Saturday. The party worker, identified as Shambhu Das, was a relative of a candidate.
The last panchayat polls in 2018 witnessed large-scale violence and around 20 murders, with opposition parties alleging that their candidates were not allowed to file nominations and were intimidated. The TMC bagged around 90% of the seats, of which 34% were uncontested.
