The petition was filed by BJP before the high court on December 14, seeking deployment of central forces for Kolkata civic polls, expressing fears that its candidates and workers might be subjected to threats and attacks.
The Calcutta High Court has rejected the BJP’s plea to hold the Kolkata Municipality Corporation (KMC) Elections with the deployment of Central Forces.
Four BJP candidates had approached the High Court with a petition to hold a pre-poll in Kolkata with the presence of central forces. However, the court dismissed it in the hearing on Thursday. Except for four candidates, no other candidate in 144 wards lodged such a complaint or application, the State Election Commission said. And, apparently, this is the main reason why the case has been dismissed in the High Court. The court observed that the statements of the four petitioners were almost identical.
On the same day, SK Kapoor, the lawyer of the plaintiff in the court, questioned that people are afraid to take to the streets and that 80 percent of the people can vote, and the police should take appropriate action to allay fears. State Election Commission lawyer Ratnank Banerjee, on the other hand, said it was only a complaint of four people who told the police commissioner and did not complain to the Election Commission.
On the other hand, the Center has said that they have deployed enough forces to cast their votes in Kolkata, and that they can deploy more if it they get a court order. On behalf of the state, GP Anirban Roy said, “This is not a public interest litigation. Only four people have complained about it. Let’s see that.”
KMC polls will now be conducted under the responsibility of the state police, sources told The Daily Guardian.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the Calcutta High Court refused to stay the upcoming KMC Elections pursuant to the moved by BJP Sate vice-president Pratap Banerjee seeking direction to the West Bengal government and the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold municipal polls in the State in one phase.