Union Home Ministry will deploy additional 315 coys of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), State Armed Police Forces (SAPF), and India Reserve (IR) Battalions for the Panchayat general elections in West Bengal. Earlier, 22 coys were approved on the requisition of the State Election Commission (SEC) but the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the West Bengal State SEC to requisition more than 82,000 central forces personnel within 24 hours for deployment in panchayat elections.
Union Home Ministry to deploy additional 315 coys of CAPFs/SAPs/IR Bns with immediate effect for the Panchayat general elections in West Bengal after the SEC on Thursday sent another requisition seeking 800 more coys central forces for all districts, news agency ANI reported.
Hearing a contempt petition on Wednesday, a Calcutta High Court division bench headed by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam had pulled up the state election commissioner, observing that if it is difficult for him to take orders, he can step down. Former chief secretary of West Bengal Rajiva Sinha is at present the state election commissioner.
The court had noted that for the July 8 elections, the SEC requisitioned just 22 companies of central forces, which is a fraction of the 82,000 central policemen brought in during the 2013 panchayat polls in the state, news agency PTI reported.
The petitioner's counsel submitted that one company consists of 80 personnel, thus the total number of personnel sought was around 1,700 -- which the court termed thoroughly inadequate.
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The HC bench noted that the number of districts in West Bengal has increased from 17 in 2013 to 22 at present, and also that the number of the electorate has increased in these 10 years, and directed the SEC to requisition more than 82,000 central forces personnel within 24 hours.
"If it is very difficult for the commissioner to take orders, he can step down. Probably, his Excellency, the Governor may appoint somebody else in his place," the bench said during the hearing, as reported by PTI.
As per PTI's report, the court observed that it was a very sorry state of affairs and said that the SEC is a neutral body and it need not toe the line of anybody. The bench, also comprising Justice Uday Kumar, said that it was very unfortunate that no responsible officer of the SEC was present in the court during the hearings, including on Wednesday.
The high court had on June 13 directed the SEC to requisition central forces for deployment in the districts it noted as sensitive, and to review the situation and deploy accordingly in other districts.
Expressing unhappiness over the delay in complying with the previous order, the bench on June 15 directed the deployment of central forces in all districts.
The SEC and the state government then moved the Supreme Court against the high court's orders which dismissed their petitions.
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