The Calcutta High Court has stated that the declaration of the West Bengal Panchayat Election results will be subject to its final order. The announcement was made by the court after it heard matters pertaining to malpractices which marred the recently concluded local body elections.
Owing to the large-scale violence that had occurred during the Panchayat Elections of West Bengal, the petitioners had asked the court to issue directions to the State Election Commission to conduct re polling in around 50,000 booths.
One of the petitioners who showcased rampant malpractices during the West Bengal Panchayat polls, was asked to furnish a copy of the videos to the lawyers of the SEC, the state and the central governments.
What did Calcutta High Court say about declaration of West Bengal Panchayat Elections Result 2023?
Taking cognisance of the situation, the Court said, “When the court is seized of the matter, it goes without saying that whatever has been done thus far, i.e, the conduct of the elections and the declaration of results, will be subject to the ultimate orders that may be passed in this writ petition.”
The court in its directive said that the SEC should inform this aspect to all the candidates who have been declared elected in the West Bengal State Elections 2023.
Calcutta High Court Directs SEC and Bengal Govt to file response on central force’s allegation of non-cooperation
The BSF IG, who is the central force coordinator, in a report before the court clearly mentioned the state government and the State Election Commission did not cooperate with them.
The division bench, presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, noted what the BSF IG had said and making a prima facie observation, the bench said, “If the allegations set out in the report ultimately turn out to be true, then it would be tantamount to a clear case of wilful disobedience of the order and direction issued by this court.”
It was on July 4 that the court had directed the deployment of central forces in all polling booths in the state.
The high court had on June 21 directed the SEC to requisition more than 82,000 central forces personnel for deployment in West Bengal panchayat elections. This number was more than what was deployed during the 2013 rural polls in the state.
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