Calcutta high court warns Bengal government, to control violence or face 5-Year central forces stay

Expressing deep concern over reports of post-poll violence in West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court issued a stern warning to the state government. During a PIL hearing, the Division Bench of Justice Kaushik Chanda and Justice Apurba Sinha Ray indicated the possibility of ordering the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to remain deployed in the state for the next five years if violence is not controlled.

The High Court directed the state government to facilitate the submission of complaints by violence-affected individuals to the state's Director General of Police (DGP) via email. The court emphasized the need to ensure the safety of the state's residents and ordered the DGP to provide a detailed report within 10 days on the number of violence-related complaints received and actions taken.

During the hearing, the court was informed by the petitioner's counsel, Susmita Saha Dutta, about 11 reported deaths in post-poll violence since the conclusion of polling. The court expressed skepticism, prompting the state's Advocate General, Kishore Dutta, to deny the claims. Justice Chanda rebuked the state, remarking on the recurrence of violence after previous elections.

In response to the ongoing violence, the Election Commission extended the deployment of Central forces in sensitive areas of the state till June 19, emphasizing the need to prevent untoward incidents.