Police personnel stand guard at violence-hit areas ahead of the panchayat elections, in South 24 Parganas, Saturday, June 17, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Calcutta High Court on June 21 directed the West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) to deploy Central forces not less than the forces deployed in the 2013 panchayat elections in the State.
The WBSEC had sought to deploy 22 companies of Central forces for the upcoming panchayat polls, whereas in 2013, about 825 companies of Central forces were deployed during panchayat polls.
The division Bench of Chief Justice T. S. Sivaganam and Justice Uday Kumar pointed out that the number of electorate and districts in the State has increased from 2013 panchayat polls. The Court observed that 1.05 lakh State police and 82,000 Central forces were requisitioned in 2013.
Observing that in 2013 the WBSEC had approached the Supreme Court seeking deployment of Central forces, the Court said it was a loss to understand what has happened to the independence and supremacy of the commission in this election.
The High Court expressed hope that the order will be complied in letter and spirit and any attempt to make the order unworkable will have adverse consequences.
The Supreme Court on June 20 upheld the Calcutta High Court order on the deployment of central security forces for the panchayat elections in West Bengal. Hours after the order, the WBSEC requisitioned the deployment of one company of Central forces in every district in the State.
The requisition of one company of Central forces which is roughly about 100 personnel for every district prompted the Opposition parties to question the intent of the Commission as well as the impact on free and fair polls.
In 2013, when the State Election Commission had approached the Supreme Court seeking deployment of Central forces for panchayat polls, it finally deployed 825 companies of Central forces. Panchayat elections in 2013 were held in five phases.