Tradition Continues: HC Orders Central Forces In All Bengal Districts For Panchayat Polls

Kolkata: West Bengal is notorious for pre-poll as well as post-poll violence.

Like the previous Lok Sabha (2019) and Vidhan Sabha (2021) elections, the upcoming Panchayat polls will also be conducted in the presence of Central paramilitary forces.

That’s the verdict of Calcutta High Court, which asked State Election Commission (SEC) on Thursday evening to deploy central forces in all districts ahead of the West Bengal Panchayat elections, scheduled to be held on July 8.

A division bench, headed by the Chief Justice, directed SEC to ask the Union government for central forces within 48 hours.

The state witnessed scenes of violence in several districts during the last few days over filing nomination papers.

Bombing, firing, clashes, fights erupted today, too, on the last date for filing nominations with three persons losing their lives.

Two days ago, the High Court had ordered deployment of central Paramilitary forces in seven ‘sensitive’ districts and advised SEC to identify other areas witnessing law and order problems to ensure free and fair polls.

But on Thursday, the court observed that SEC had not taken any appreciable steps since its previous order, and hence directed deployment of central forces in every district.

The SEC had filed a review petition against the High Court’s June 13 order, but it was turned down.