Restore those displaced by post poll violence to their homes, Calcutta HC tells West Bengal govt.
The court also extended the deployment of Central forces in the State till June 26
The Calcutta High Court on June 21 directed the West Bengal government to take note of complaints of post election violence and restoration of the displaced persons into their place of residence.
A Division Bench of Justices Harish Tandon and Hiranmay Bhattacharyya also directed that the police administration “shall ensure the safety and security of such displaced persons and make a constant vigil in the area of the residence and ensure that no threat perception or any kind of violence takes place in such area”.
The court also extended the deployment of Central forces in the State till June 26. Allegations of post election violence and threats have been raised by Bharatiya Janata Party supporters across the State and the party has sent a team of MPs to assess the situation.
“We cannot shut our eyes to the spate of complaints as disclosed and the allegation on the role of the Police Administration for which we feel that the deployment of the Central forces may continue for a limited period. We, therefore, extend such deployment till June 26, when the matter would be listed next to be taken up at 2 p.m.,” the order read.
The court had earlier ordered the deployment of the Central forces in the State till June 21. Additional Solicitor General Asok Kumar Chakrabarti, representing the Central government, stated that if the court directs, it will continue the deployment of the Central forces in the State.
Advocate General Kishore Dutta said that 800 complaints have been processed and taken note of by the State government and out of which more than 200 cases have been detected as cognisable offence and the rest needs sanction from the concerned Jurisdictional Magistrate and a feeble number of cases are still under scrutiny.
Earlier a single judge of the High Court had allowed the persons affected by post election violence to submit the complaints to the Director General of Police, West Bengal.
The Division Bench also added that the State is directed to “take note of those complaints so disclosed and shall take immediate action, as may be required, including the registration of the complaints/FIR and restoration of the displaced persons into their residence”.
The court also added that the plea of compensation as claimed in the instant public interest litigations shall be considered in due course.
Meanwhile, the Governor C.V. Ananda Bose and the State government are at loggerheads over the issue of post election violence. The Governor has written a letter to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the violence.
On June 16, the Governor met the victims at Raj Bhawan along with the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Earlier in Kolkata Police had not allowed the victims of the violence to meet the Governor on grounds that prohibitory orders section 144 has been imposed outside Raj Bhawan. The Governor had also written to Chief Minister questioning the grounds on which the police had stopped Mr. Adhikari and the victims despite his office issuing the necessary permission for the visit.
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