WB Panchayat polls: Calcutta HC reserves order in PIL filed by Suvendu Adhikari alleging violence in nomination process

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 15 : Calcutta High Court on Thursday reserved the order on PIL filed by West Bengal Leader of Opposition and the Bharatiya Janata Party leader Suvendu Adhikari who alleged violence during the nomination process for the Panchayat election scheduled for July 8.

Adhikari in his PIL, alleged that the State Election Commission failed to comply with the Court's previous order on the deployment of Central forces in seven sensitive districts.

However, the High Court has reserved the order on the BJP leader's PIL.

The Court on Tuesday had ordered the requisition and deployment of central forces in all areas declared sensitive by the State Election Commission (SEC) for the polls.

"In areas where Central forces are not deployed, it should be the responsibility of the State Police. SEC should ensure the safety of the polling agents. SEC should and shall consider the requisition of deployment of Central Paramilitary forces for sensitive areas," the court said in its order.

In addition to the deployment of Central forces, the court also ordered the SEC to install CCTV cameras at every booth and corner of the counting centers.

It, however, refused to consider the PILs seeking an extension of time for filing of nominations for the July 8 panchayat polls in West Bengal and left it to the discretion of the State Election Commission to take a call.

The court further directed that the counting of votes for all three tiers of the Panchayat be conducted simultaneously and at the same venue.

Regarding the appointment of observers during polls, the court said that the SEC has stated that it will appoint observers from the cadre of senior officers and so the court will not be interfering in the matter.

West Bengal is witnessing violence and clashes in certain parts of the state during the filing of nomination papers for panchayat polls.

Heavy security force deployed in South 24 Parganas district on the last day of nomination for West Bengal panchayat polls.

On Wednesday, the situation remained tense in several areas of the state, like the Bhangar block in the South 24 Parganas district- the area which had witnessed clashes between TMC and Indian Secular Front (ISF) workers in the past two days.

Supporters of the Trinamool Congress and ISF were seen on the roads with sticks and batons as the police struggled to maintain law and order.

During the clash, some police officers and Canning SDPO also got injured.

On Wednesday, Adhikari broke the barricades installed outside the State Election Commission office in Kolkata and claimed that the TMC has said since there are no sensitive booths in West Bengal, there was no need for the deployment of central forces in panchayat elections.

"This is an attempt to kill democracy, we will launch protests against this. We will end Mamata Banerjee's jungle raj in West Bengal. We are fighting for democracy and the people of the state will prevail. They are claiming that since there are no sensitive booths in West Bengal, there was no need for Central forces to be deployed in the state," Adhikari said.

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