Setback For BJP: No Central Forces For Municipal Polls, Rules High Court

Kolkata: BJP’s hopes of having central forces deployed for the upcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections were dashed as the Calcutta High Court on Thursday dismissed the party’s petition.

The Supreme Court on Monday had refused a similar plea by the BJP and directed the saffron party to approach Calcutta HC for such a relief. “We cannot take decisions with respect to the requirement of Central force. High Court will be in a better position to know the situation,” Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai had said.

On Thursday, the Calcutta HC ruled that the civic polls will be conducted on December 19 under the responsibility of the state police.

A two-member division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj also directed the State Election Commission (SEC) and West Bengal government to take necessary measures for holding polls in other civic bodies at the earliest in least possible number of phases.

West Bengal assembly polls were held earlier in the year under joint supervision of central forces and state police. Trinamool Congress stormed back to power winning 215 seats out of 294.