SC refuses to hear BJP’s plea seeking deployment of central forces for Kolkata municipal polls

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding that Central Armed Police Force personnel be deployed during the civic body elections in Kolkata later this month, reported PTI.

Elections to municipal bodies in Kolkata will be held on December 19.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai asked the petitioners to approach the Calcutta High Court. The bench noted that the High Court, being more aware of the security situation and other local aspects, was better equipped to handle such pleas.

“Why 32 [under Article 32 of the Constitution, a petition is filed directly in the Supreme Court]?” the bench asked. “The problem is if we start taking this on 32, there would be no end.”

At the hearing, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, representing the West Bengal unit of BJP, alleged that the party’s candidates for the civic elections were being threatened and pressured to withdraw their nominations since the poll dates were announced.

“… These threats and violence cast grave infractions on the constitutional mandate of conducting free, fair and democratic election,” the plea stated.

Singh also accused the state police of not registering first information reports even though complaints have been lodged.

The senior advocate pointed out that there…

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