Petition seeks paramilitary deployment in W Bengal

A petition in the Supreme Court by Puneet Kaur Dhanda seeks directions to the Union Home Secretary to ensure proper security during assembly elections in West Bengal so that the polls take place without any fear.

Kolkata:Ahead of West Bengal Assembly elections 2021, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking 'deployment of paramilitary forces in the state to ensure free and fair elections'.

Filed by Puneet Kaur Dhanda, the plea seeks directions to the Union Home secretary to ensure proper security in assembly elections of the state so that the polls take place fairly, without any fear and killings of the opposition leaders.

The petitioner has also sought a detailed action report and case status of more than 300 killings of opposition leaders - especially the ones belonging to BJP.

"Issue an appropriate writ or direction to the Respondent Union Home Secretary and Director General of Police, West Bengal to take strict action against senior officers involved in dereliction of duty in protection of BJP party president who was attacked in West Bengal during his visit," the plea read.

A report on bogus voters and appropriate steps to remove their names from the voters list has also been requested by the petitioner from the Election Commission (ED) of India.

Last week the top court had given protection from arrests to five Bengal leaders who had moved to the court alleging political vendetta against them by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

They had contended that FIRs were registered against them after they left the TMC and one of them had also said that he was attacked during his visit. But instead of probing that matter, FIR was registered against him.