Yesterday, On 12th June, The Calcutta High Court ordered the deployment of central forces in the state until June 21. Additionally, the court directed the state government to provide a comprehensive report by June 14 detailing the measures taken to prevent post-election violence.
Calcutta: In response to concerns about post-election unrest, the Calcutta High Court directed the deployment of central security forces in West Bengal until June 21. The court emphasized that the state government must prioritize maintaining law and order across the region.
The order issued by the division bench of Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Hirnmay Bhattacharyya. They were hearing separate petitions filed by Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, and advocate Priyanka Tibrewal, both seeking the court’s intervention to prevent post-poll violence in the state.
Additionally, the court mandated that the state police coordinate closely with the central forces to ensure the effective management of the situation.
The Court directed the government to prioritize law and order issues and to register complaints through the email ID of the Director General of Police (DGP), as previously instructed.
Additionally, the High Court mandated the state government to present a detailed report on post-election violence by June 16, with the next hearing scheduled for June 18.
In its order, the Calcutta High Court stated,
“Given the serious nature of the allegations presented in the aforementioned Public Interest Litigations and the need to evaluate the Police’s role based on the forthcoming report, we believe that the Central Forces currently stationed in the State should remain until Friday, June 21, 2024.”
It added,
“The Court issued this directive, noting that the Central Forces were initially deployed to ensure fair and transparent elections and have not been fully withdrawn yet,” .
Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, welcomed the Calcutta High Court‘s order, stating that the “reign of terror” imposed by the ruling Trinamool Congress government has faced a significant setback.
Adhikari posted on ‘X’,
“The defeat of Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress continues. The ruling party’s attempt to unleash a reign of terror has been severely thwarted by the Calcutta High Court’s order to deploy Central Armed Paramilitary Forces until at least June 21, 2024, to curb the TMC’s plans to inflict post-poll violence on Bharatiya Janata Party karyakartas,”
The senior BJP leader further stated that the Calcutta High Court’s judgment represents a victory for truth and the voice of Bengal.
Adhikari said,
“The ruling dispensation has been warned against continuing such post-poll violence, which has been orchestrated by Trinamool goons since the results were announced. Truth and the voice of Bengal have triumphed once again,”
Adhikari mentioned that the Court will determine on June 18 whether the Central Armed Police Forces will remain in the state beyond June 21.
He added,
“The next hearing is scheduled for June 18, 2024, when the Hon’ble Court will reconsider the matter of retaining the CAPF beyond June 21, 2024,”
Last week, the West Bengal BJP president, Sukanta Majumdar, visited party workers in North 24 Paraganas who affected by post-election violence.
Majumdar alleged that BJP workers were attacked and their homes were looted by people carrying Trinamool Congress (TMC) party flags. Ijit Adhikari, another BJP leader, had also written to the West Bengal Governor, CV Ananda Bose, expressing concerns about the TMC’s alleged role in the post-election violence and urging the Governor to take steps to prevent a recurrence of such incidents after future elections.