Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation seeking direction for the deployment of central armed police forces (CAPF) personnel at the election for Contai Co-Operative Agriculture & Rural Development Bank Ltd in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district on March 29.
Earlier this week, the public interest litigation was filed by Swapan Bera, apprehending election malpractices and violence over the polls on the weekend. In his petition, Bera also highlighted the precedent of the deployment of CAPF for the Contai co-operative bank polls in December last year, following an order from the Supreme Court.
On Thursday, the matter came up for hearing at the division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chattopadhyay but was dismissed, as the judges observed that this particular plea could not be treated as public interest litigation.
The division bench also observed that it would be better for the petitioner to move to the apex court if he considers it suitable.
Counsel for the petitioner and CPI-M Rajya Sabha member Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya argued that since poll-related violence had become a trend in West Bengal, CAPF deployment and CCTV camera installation were absolutely essential in the polls scheduled on Saturday.
He also drew the precedents of the Contai co-operative bank election being conducted under CCTV coverage and CAPF deployment in December last year.
Appearing for the state government, Advocate General Kishor Datta said that mere allegations and apprehension of violence were not enough to justify the arguments on behalf of the petition.
The petitioner will have to substantiate why CAPF deployment was necessary when the state police forces are arranging for absolute security for the polls, he argued.
Thereafter, the division bench not only dismissed the demand for CAPF deployment but also scrapped the public interest litigation altogether.
East Midnapore is the native district of BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. His younger brother, Soumendu Adhikari, is currently the MP from the Kanthi Lok Sabha seat, under which the Contai Co-Operative Agriculture & Rural Development Bank Ltd comes.
(IANS)
