Calcutta HC directs nodal officer to file report on panchayat poll violence in Bengal

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the inspector general of BSF, the nodal officer appointed for deployment of central forces for West Bengal panchayat polls, to file a report on the violence that took place in various booths on July 8. The court also directed the state government to provide assistance to the relatives for cremation of those who died in alleged poll violence and healthcare facilities to the injured. A division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam directed the IG, BSF, the nodal officer appointed for deployment of central forces for the rural polls, to file a report on the violence which took place in various polling booths in the state during the elections on July 8.

The court said the report will be of significance since the petitioner and other intervenors alleged largescale rigging in various booths. The petitioner and intervenors claimed that repolls in 696 booths ordered by the State Election Commission out of over 61,000 booths where polling was held do not reflect the correct number. It was claimed by an intervenor that repolling should be ordered in at least 50,000 booths.

Appearing before the court in person, petitioner Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Congress MP from Berhampore, prayed for an investigation into the deaths and injuries by a central agency. Requesting the probe to be monitored by a sitting judge of the court, Chowdhury also prayed that adequate compensation be given to the families of the deceased and the injured. He also requested for deployment of adequate central forces in and outside counting centres.