Deploy more no. of Central forces: Cal HC tells State Election Commission

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to increase the proposed number of Central paramilitary forces to be deployed for the upcoming Panchayat election within 24 hours.

Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Uday Kumar passed the order after noting that the present number of such personnel proposed to be engaged, which was approximately 1,700 as per news reports, was inadequate. The bench was hearing contempt petitions filed by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and Congress leader Adhir Rajan Chowdhury against the state and SEC over inaction in implementing the court’s previous orders dated June 13 and June 15 in connection with the deployment of Central forces.

“The number of battalions to be requisition shall be not less than the force requisitioned in the 2013 elections, and in fact has to be more because the number of districts and electorate has increased since then…The SEC is directed to implement this decision in a proper and effective manner and the Court hopes that the direction will be complied with in letter and spirit. Any attempt to make the order unworkable shall have adverse consequences,” the Court directed, according to reports. The matter is listed for hearing on June 23.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to deploy 6 companies of specialised forces for the smooth conduct of the Panchayat elections scheduled to be held on July 8. Nabanna sources said that the decision has been taken with the state Election Commission (SEC) asking the state for additional forces.

One company of specialised forces will be deployed in each of the districts of Cooch Behar, Murshidabad Police District, Baruipur Police District, Islampur Police District and East Midnapore Police District.

The state government’s specialised forces have cops from RAF and Combat Forces who are specialised in handling and thwarting any attempt to disturb the law and order situation.

There have been some sporadic incidents of violence in some places under these districts during the filing of nominations that have come before the SEC’s notice prompting the poll body to ask for additional forces from the state government.

“We have already written to the Home Ministry for requisitioning 22 companies of Central forces. One company each will be deployed in each of the 22 districts (excluding Kolkata) that does not come under Panchayat,“ a senior official of SEC said.

Each company of Central forces comprise roughly about 100 personnel. The letter from SEC was sent soon after the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the Calcutta High Court order on the deployment of Central security forces for the Panchayat elections in Bengal.

Elections will be held for 73,897 seats (63,239 Gram Panchayats, 9,730 Panchayat Samities and 928 Zilla Parishad seats) on July 8. There are about 62,000 polling booths.