Bengal Panchayat Polls: SC Dismisses Plea Against HC Order On Deployment Of Central Forces

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea against the HC order on the deployment of Central Forces during the Bengal panchayat polls.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's order regarding the deployment of central forces during West Bengal panchayat elections, reported ANI. The SC refused to interfere with the HC order. While hearing the plea, the top court noted that what the HC may have thought is that instead of requisitioning forces from other neighbouring states, it is better to deploy central forces and expenses would be borne by the Centre. SC further said that holding elections cannot be a license for violence. 

Appearing for West Bengal State Election Commission, senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora, told the court that the observation that the state election commission has not done anything is not correct. She added that the commission cannot requisition any forces but request the State. The order passed by the HC is contrary, she added, as quoted by ANI. 

The court observed that it is the responsibility of the state election commission to conduct a free and fair election. The apex court questioned where the forces come from is not the concern of State Election Commission then how is the petition maintainable 

Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for one of the respondents in the matter, said that there is problem in the state. He added that the agenda is not genuine concern of deployment but the agenda is that don’t get central forces. 

The high court had previously directed the immediate requisition and deployment of central forces in areas and districts identified as sensitive by the SEC. The SEC was also instructed to review the state's assessment plan and deploy paramilitary forces wherever the state police force was deemed inadequate.

Opposition leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress party, had approached the court, requesting the deployment of central forces to ensure peaceful elections. They highlighted the large-scale violence witnessed during the 2022 municipal elections and the 2021 Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections. Additionally, they sought an extension of the nomination deadline, citing inadequate time. The court entrusted the decision regarding the extension to the SEC.