West Bengal: The West Bengal government and the State Election Commission have jointly approached the Supreme Court to challenge the deployment of central forces during the panchayat polls in the state. This move comes in response to an order by the Calcutta High Court, which directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to requisition and deploy central forces within 48 hours for the upcoming Panchayat elections.
Following a meeting between senior officials of the SEC, the government, and the state's legal advisors, it was decided to challenge the deployment of central forces. The decision was prompted by concerns raised by the state government and the SEC regarding the use of central forces in the electoral process.
The High Court's directive came in the wake of violence that erupted during the nomination filing process for the Panchayat elections. Opposition leaders, including BJP's Suvendu Adhikari and Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, had approached the court seeking the deployment of central forces to ensure peaceful elections. They cited instances of violence during previous elections in the state as grounds for their petition.
Since the commencement of the nomination filing process on June 9, there have been reports of violence in various parts of West Bengal. The opposition parties, including BJP, Congress, and CPI (M), have accused the ruling TMC of using strong-arm tactics to prevent opposition candidates from submitting their nominations.
Clashes between supporters of opposing parties have taken place in South 24 Parganas, Bankura, and the Canning area. These clashes involved the hurling of bombs and vandalism of cars as rival factions attempted to obstruct each other's nominations. The police, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), have used tear gas shells to restore order and have detained individuals allegedly involved in the violence.
The Panchayat elections in West Bengal are significant, with a substantial electorate of approximately 5.67 crores. Voters will have the opportunity to elect representatives for nearly 74,000 seats across zilla parishads, panchayat samitis, and gram panchayats.
In light of the ongoing violence and concerns about the use of central forces, the West Bengal government and the SEC have decided to challenge the deployment in the Supreme Court. The outcome of this legal battle will have implications for the conduct and security of the upcoming Panchayat elections in the state.
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