Form panel, examine post-poll violence cases by visiting areas: Calcutta HC to NHRC

KOLKATA: A five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to constitute a committee to examine complaints of post-poll violence, an issue that has been raised by the BJP since the TMC came to power for the third straight term. 

The committee shall examine all the cases by visiting the areas and report to the court about steps to be taken to reinstate the confidence of the people, the order further said. 

"It is the duty of the State to maintain law and order and to inspire confidence in the residents. The State from the very beginning had been denying everything but facts on record and report by State Legal Services Authority shows differently. Under these circumstances, we direct NHRC to constitute a committee to examine the complaints," the bench said in its order.

The court was hearing a bunch of petitions alleging that many people from the Opposition were subject to violence after the ruling Trinamool Congress swept to power.

The post-poll violence has become an issue from the day of the chief minister’s swearing-in event. The Governor and the state government got engaged in a war of words over the issue. At Raj Bhavan, after the swearing-in event, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar raised the issue and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged the violence was mainly taking place in those areas where BJP won. 

Referring to Dhankar’s three-day Delhi visit where he raised the post-poll violence issue in his meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Mamata on Thursday said there was no such incident in Bengal.