Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday quashed a plea by the BJP seeking the deployment of central armed forces in the forthcoming Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) polls due on December 19.
Hearing the plea, the bench of Justice Rajsekhar Mantha ruled that there was no requirement for the deployment of central armed forces in the polls.
Earlier this week, the BJP had petitioned the HC bench for deployment of central armed forces after the Supreme Court had asked the party to approach the Calcutta HC.
The BJP counsel, Surendra Kapoor, argued that "everyone was aware of what had happened in the last West Bengal assembly elections, where the state police did not intercept even after the FIRs were filed,"
"There is an air of terror throughout the state. Although, law and order is a state subject, the state government here is not active on this count. So, we request to ensure that the polling process be peaceful,” he said.
The counsel for the State Election Commission (SEC), Ratnanka Mukhopadhyay said that the commission had a meeting with the police authorities on November 13.
"The police will surely take action wherever necessary. Installation of CCTVs at the polling stations as per the order of the Calcutta High court has already begun,” he said.
The Additional Solicitor General, Y J Dastoor said that since there are adequate security arrangements, voting should be conducted peacefully.
The counsel for the state government, Anirban Roy said that the police has already acted on the FIRs lodged by four persons, which was the basis of the litigation filed by the BJP.
“The safety and protection of those who filed the FIRs have been ensured. Only the State Election Commission will decide whether the deployment of central armed forces is necessary or not,” he said.
Justice Mantha observed that the BJP has filed the petition on the basis of apprehensions that there might be violence in the KMC polls.
"However, the SEC counsel has informed the court that adequate security arrangements have been made. The police have taken action on the FIRs and the safety of the people concerned has been ensured. The police will also take action as per the requirement in case of future complaints too. SEC has assured that there is no requirement for deployment of central armed forces in the forthcoming KMC polls,” he said.
