New Delhi, May 4: The Supreme Court declined to hear a petition on Monday regarding the deployment of central security forces in West Bengal following the election results, aimed at preventing potential violence. The court advised the petitioner to approach the Calcutta High Court first.
The case was presented before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The petition was filed by the Sanatan Sanstha, represented by senior advocate V. Giri, who argued that significant violence occurred after the 2021 assembly elections, raising concerns about a similar situation this time. He emphasized the need for enhanced security measures and the deployment of central forces.
The petitioner also requested the formation of a monitoring committee, chaired by a former Supreme Court judge, to oversee the situation and prevent any disturbances or violence.
However, the Supreme Court bench did not agree with this argument. The court stated that such matters should first be directed to the relevant High Court, which is a more appropriate forum at this stage. Consequently, the petitioner was directed to approach the Calcutta High Court.
During the hearing, the Election Commission also presented its arguments. Senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, representing the commission, stated that the commission’s role concludes after the voting and counting processes, and thus, the responsibility for law and order lies with the state government.
The court made it clear that decisions regarding this matter should be taken by the state’s political executive. CJI Chandrachud expressed hope that the state government would recognize its responsibility to maintain law and order.
The petitioner noted that a main petition on this issue had already been filed, and the current request was for an interim application. However, the Supreme Court maintained its stance and denied immediate relief.
The court scheduled the main petition for detailed hearing on May 11 and refused to intervene at this time.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.
