Poll violence common in West Bengal, irrespective of ruling party: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that poll time violence was common in Bengal irrespective of whichever party was at the helm, while granting relief from arrest to Arjun Singh, the BJP candidate from Barrackpore, for five days. Singh had claimed that two politically motivated cases had since been filed against him.

He sought a week’s protection from arrest to be present at the counting. His case was presented in court by former Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar who alleged that these cases had been filed mala fide on him in May to prevent him from being present at the counting.

The state government, via counsel Astha Sharma, contested this, insisting that he had at least eight criminal cases pending against him. He has revealed this in his election affidavit to the Election Commission, she said, adding that his image is on national TV leading rioters.