West Bengal post-poll violence: SC issues notice to Mamata Banerjee govt on plea seeking relief for victims

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the West Bengal government on a plea seeking an investigation into post-poll violence and seeking rehabilitation of victims of the violence that broke out after the declaration of Assembly poll results on 2 May.

A Bench of Justices Vineet Saran and BR Gavai on the request of senior advocate Pinky Anand, appearing for the petitioner, agreed to make the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the National Commission for Protection of Women and Child Rights parties in the case.

The apex court directed the government to file a reply by 7 June and posted the matter next for hearing in the second week of June.

Supreme court issues notice. Notice returnable on June 7, 2021.

Justice Saran: give the particular of respondents during course of the day

— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) May 25, 2021

"Petitioners are aggrieved with the post-electoral violence in Bengal from 2 May causing bombing, murder, gang rape, outraging of modesty of women, arson, kidnapping, loot, vandalism and destruction of public property, which led to a widespread fear and terror in the minds of ordinary residents of the state, ultimately forcing them to leave their homes," the plea read.

The police and "state-sponsored goons" are in cahoots, owing to which the former is not investigating cases and are failing to provide protection to those who are facing threats to their lives, it claimed.

It asked to provide immediate relief to the internally displaced persons affected due to post-poll violence by setting up camps, making provision for food, medicines and pandemic resources.

Senior Adv Pinky Anand: I am seeking humanitarian relief

Justice Saran: nothing will happen ex parte. This should be clear

Anand: NCPCR has carried out reports to show what is the condition in relief camps etc

— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) May 25, 2021

The petitioners sought the constitution of a Special Investigation Team and setting up a fast-track court to investigate and try the cases.

The plea said the court should "protect the state from internal disturbance and ensure that the government in the state is carried on". It asked the court to direct the Centre to "deploy Central protection forces, including Armed Forces, for the restoration of law and order in West Bengal".

The petition said the last few days, following the elections results, had seen an exodus from Bengal.

"The exodus of the people in West 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 enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution of India," read the plea.

The petition urged the court to direct the Centre to "constitute an Inquiry Commission to assess the scale and causes of the exodus".

The petitioners are Arun Mukherjee, Debjani Halder, Prosanta Das, Paramita Dey and Bhupen Halder, Live Law reported.

As per the petition, Mukherjee and Halder are social activists, Das is a victim of post-poll violence in Cooch Behar district, Dey and Halder are advocates practising in West Bengal whose homes and offices were destroyed by TMC workers.

With inputs from agencies