Calcutta High Court orders continued deployment of central forces in West Bengal for 10 days to avoid post-poll violence
Central paramilitary forces should continue to remain deployed in West Bengal 10 day after declaration of results of ipcoming panchayat elections, the Calcutta High Court ordered on Thursday.
A division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Uday Kumar passed the order after noting that the apprehension of the petitioners about the post poll violence appeared genuine since similar incidents had taken place in 2018 and 2021 after declaration of poll results.
"There is an apprehension of post poll violence, which cannot be brushed aside, given the past experience. We are only concerned with protection of the public at large and if such violence takes place, it would affect the public. There are chances of post poll violence as winning candidates might celebrate etc. Therefore, let the Central forces be deployed for 10 more days after the declaration of results," the bench ordered.
During the hearing of the matter on Thursday, the State Election Commission (SEC) told the bench that it would not be in a position to order continuation of the forces after July 12 - the date when the elections results would be declared.
"Our jurisdiction would come to an end after the day when results would be declared. Therefore, we can order deployment only till July 12. After that either the court can order it or the nodal officer of the Central government can take such a decision," senior advocate Kishore Datta submitted before the bench.
The bench accepted the contentions and ordered continued deployment of the central forces.
