SC orders withdrawal of 4 groups of central forces

Kolkata: The Supreme Court has ordered the withdrawal of four companies of central forces from the Hills because of the upcoming Gujarat election.

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud on Monday asked the Centre to withdraw the four companies. The Assembly election in Gujarat will be held on December 9 and 14.

Earlier on July 14, the Calcutta High Court had instructed the Centre to deploy four additional companies of the Central forces in the Hills, taking the total to 15 groups.

The Centre had also decided to withdraw 10 of those companies. Challenging the decision, the state government moved the Calcutta High Court which stayed the Centre's order till October 27. On October 27, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to withdraw seven of them.

Of the eight companies that had been deployed in the Hills, the Centre on Monday withdrew four of them following the Supreme Court order.