Ensure return of people displaced by post-poll violence to their homes: Calcutta HC to state govt

PTI, Kolkata, Jun 21, 2024 :  The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the West Bengal government to take steps to ensure that people displaced due to alleged post-poll violence in the state return to their homes.

    The court also extended the deployment of central forces in the state till June 26, when the matter would be listed for hearing again.

    "We cannot shut our eyes to the spate of complaints as disclosed and the allegation on the role of the police administration for which we feel that the deployment of the central forces may continue for a limited period," the court observed.

    A division bench presided by Justice Harish Tandon directed the West Bengal government to take immediate action to ensure that people displaced due to alleged post-poll violence in the state return to their homes.

    The court directed the police administration to ensure the safety and security of such displaced persons and keep a constant vigil in the area of their residence and ensure that no threat perception or any kind of violence takes place in such areas.

    Hearing petitions regarding allegations of post-poll violence in West Bengal after the Lok Sabha elections, the division bench directed the state to take note of those complaints and take immediate action as required, including registration of the complaints or FIRs.

    The court had earlier ordered the deployment of the central forces in the state till June 21.

    The state's Advocate General Kishore Dutta informed the court that from June 4, when the Lok Sabha election results were declared, till June 18, a total of 859 complaints have been received through email by the Director General of Police's (DGP) office.

    He stated that out of these, 204 complaints constitute cognisable offences and FIRs have been registered on the basis of those.

    Dutta said that 175 complaints relating to non-cognisable cases have been registered.

    The AG stated that 219 were duplicate complaints, 26 were incomplete while 14 were under scrutiny.

    Observing that serious allegations have been made with regard to violence in the state following the elections, the court said that the question would be whether continuation of the deployment of central forces in such a scenario is inevitable.

    AG Dutta submitted that 10 to 12 or even 20 complaints a day with regard to cognisable cases throughout the state does not depict a picture that the state police is unable to handle the situation and said that it does not warrant central forces to remain deployed in the state.

    He further submitted that the central forces cannot remain deployed after the parliamentary election is over and that maintenance of public order is primarily a state subject.

    He claimed that the state government has taken all possible steps to combat any incident of violence and none of the parties have been able to make out a case of dereliction on the part of the police administration in discharging their duty.

    Additional Solicitor General Asok Kumar Chakrabarti, representing the central government, stated that if the court directs, it will continue the deployment of the central forces in the state.

    Lawyer-petitioner Priyanka Tibrewal gave a list of people displaced from their homes and of those whose houses were looted, in an affidavit submitted before the court.

    It was alleged by Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal in their separate PILs that people belonging to a particular political party were being subjected to atrocities following the conclusion of the Lok Sabha election process.