Plea For Deployment Of Central Forces During Kolkata Civic Polls Rejected, BJP Moves Supreme Court

The bench said that the State Election Commission will take measures to boost the confidence of votersKolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday rejected an appeal by the BJP against a single bench order which directed that the state police – and not central forces – will provide security for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) election on December 19.A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj directed that the State Election Commission (SEC), with the help of the state authorities, will take all possible measures to boost the confidence of voters.The state BJP has moved the Supreme Court against the division bench order of the high court and the hearing is slated for Saturday, the party said here.The division bench said that area domination and route march be conducted in a planned manner and directed the state government to fully comply with its earlier order on installation of CCTV cameras in each polling booth.It observed that the SEC has assured the court of conducting free and fair polls and directed respondents to submit a report of compliance before the next date of hearing.The state unit of the BJP filed a petition before the high court on December 14, seeking deployment of central forces for Kolkata civic polls, expressing apprehensions that its candidates and workers might be subjected to threats and attacks.Rejecting the prayer, the bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha on Thursday directed that the commissioner of Kolkata Police will take care of all complaints by candidates or others during the election process The party then moved the division bench against the order of the single bench.The BJP had earlier moved the Supreme Court with the same prayer, but was asked by it to approach the high court.



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