New Delhi, April 3 A political row has erupted on Friday after the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant, described West Bengal as "the most polarised state in the country" while taking cognisance of an incident linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
Responding to the court's observations, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari welcomed the intervention and called for urgent action.
He said that the apex court's move was necessary, questioning how long silence could continue on such serious matters.
"I have appreciated the Supreme Court for this. The time for action is now. The Supreme Court should also review the role of the Election Commission of India, particularly the Chief Election Commissioner. Strict measures must be taken," Tiwari told IANS.
Referring to the Malda SIR-related incident, the Congress MP stressed that the foundation of democracy lies in conducting free and fair elections.
"Fairness must actually exist, not just be visible. The way the Chief Election Commissioner has conducted the SIR process so far, it appears aligned with the BJP. The Opposition has raised this issue in Parliament, yet these activities continue," Tiwari alleged.
Echoing similar concerns, Samajwadi Party Spokesperson Dharmendra Singh refrained from commenting directly on the CJI's remarks but criticised the SIR process in West Bengal.
"In West Bengal, what is being done in the name of SIR by the BJP, the Union Home Ministry, and the Election Commission together is not good for democracy. The recovery of thousands of Form 6 applications from BJP leaders indicates that there is no intention to conduct fair elections. There is an attempt to manipulate the voter list to secure electoral gains," he said.
Janata Dal-United Spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad also said the Supreme Court's observations and the Chief Justice's remarks were significant and reflective of the prevailing situation in West Bengal.
"Undoubtedly, the observations made by the Supreme Court of India and the remarks by the CJI are significant enough to reflect the situation in West Bengal. The ongoing Centre versus state confrontation, along with concerns that people's aspirations are being forcefully suppressed, is a matter of serious concern," he added.
Prasad noted that attempts to divide people into two groups and the heightened political tensions in West Bengal could have prompted the apex court's remarks.
"Considering these factors, it appears the Supreme Court has taken note of the broader situation while making its observations," he added.
The developments come amid increasing political friction in West Bengal over the SIR process and allegations by opposition parties of electoral manipulation, even as the ruling Trinamool, Congress has said that all procedures are being conducted as per law.
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