SC notice to Bengal govt on post-election violence

The Supreme Court has asked the Mamata Banerjee government to respond to a plea seeking relief for people who have been “internally displaced” due to the post poll-violence in West Bengal.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and BR Gavai issued notices to the state and impleaded the National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Women as respondents to the petition.

The directions were passed on a plea filed through advocate Shruti Agarwal who has claimed that the post-poll violence in Bengal led to an exodus of people and internal displacement of such people in the state.


Accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of indifference, the plea has claimed that more than 18 political activists lost their lives, sexual violence was committed against women with opposing political views, and loot, arson and destruction of private and property took place in broad daylight.

It was alleged that the police and “state-sponsored goons” were in cahoots, owing to which the former are not investigating cases and there is a failure to provide protection to those who are facing threats to their lives.

The petition states that “…people are internally displaced and forced to stay in shelter homes/camps in and outside West Bengal. The exodus of the people in Bengal due to state-sponsored violence has posed serious humanitarian issues related to their survival, where they are forced to live in deplorable conditions, in violation of their fundamental rights”.