Bengal govt, SEC moves SC over deployment of Central forces BY Team MP17 June 2023

MP, 17 June 2023, Kolkata: The state government and State Election Commission (SEC) moved Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court’s direction to the Commission on Thursday to deploy Central forces across the state within 48 hours for smooth conduct of the Panchayat polls on July 8. 

It has been filed through e-filing as the Supreme Court was closed on Saturday. “We have filed an SLP (Special Leave Petition with the Supreme Court,” State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha told reporters on Saturday evening. 

According to sources, the Commission has stated in its petition that there is no requirement for the deployment of Central forces in all the districts. Sinha, along with senior officials of the Commission, held a meeting with the Home Secretary and ADG (Law and Order) on Friday evening. 

According to sources, the decision of moving the higher forum challenging the High Court’s verdict was taken at the meeting. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Congress MLA from South Malda Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury had already filed a caveat with the apex court so that an ex-parte hearing does not happen in the Supreme Court. 

When asked about the deployment of Central forces, as per Calcutta High Court’s order, the State Election Commissioner on Friday night said: “We have not yet taken any decision. Will inform you as and when any decision is taken.” 

Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee told reporters on Saturday that the party is least concerned whether the voting is conducted with the deployment of Central forces or not. 

“The 2013 Panchayat elections, the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 as well as the Assembly polls in 2021 were held with the deployment of Central forces but people voted for Mamata Banerjee and her party and we had won convincingly,” Banerjee said. 

The SEC with the help of the state government is continuing with its exercise of identifying the sensitive booths for the Panchayat polls scheduled to take place on July 8. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/bengal-govt-sec-moves-sc-over-deployment-of-central-forces-522470