SC rejects plea for central forces for Bengal local polls

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the BJP's plea for deployment of central forces in West Bengal for the February 27 municipal corporation polls.

State BJP leaders had cited violence and mass rigging at earlier elections in the state to press their demand. However, a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud rejected the plea. Instead, it upheld a high court order which said the Election Commission should take a call on this matter based on the ground situation, and that it is not up to the court to order so.

The high court had said that the EC should take a call on this after a meeting with the state home secretary, the state DGP and IGP. In case it decides not to deploy additional forces, it must take responsibility for any violence on the ground, the court had said.


BJP leaders Moushumi Roy and Pratap Bannerjuee had come in appeal to the top court against this but failed to get relief.

The central government, represented in the top court by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, was willing to send forces should the court ask it, like it did in the case of Tripura.

A two-judge bench led by Justice Chandrachud had, acting on the Opposition Congress' plea, ordered the Centre to send additional forces to Tripura to ensure free and fair polling.

The BJP leaders, represented in court by senior advocate PS Patwalia, said that though the high court had agreed with their submissions, it had denied them any relief.

Patwalia argued that the high court had put the onus of ensuring free and fair polls on the EC. This, he said, was "biased" in favour of the ruling dispensation in the state.