TMC moves Supreme Court alleging violation of court orders for free and fair Tripura municipal polls

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna was told by senior advocate Kapil Sibal that despite the court's order of Thursday for providing unhindered access to the media to the election process, nothing was done

Photo for representation purposes. iStock

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 26

Demanding a court-monitored probe into the alleged large-scale violence during the municipal polls in Tripura, the Trinamool Congress on Friday moved the Supreme Court alleging that even candidates weren’t allowed to vote.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal told a Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud that the two applications filed by the TMC needed to be listed urgently for hearing as despite the court’s order on Thursday for providing unhindered access to the media to the election process, nothing was done.

“There was absolute mayhem there. Even candidates were not allowed to vote. There were violent incidents. Even media reports said that there was violation of Supreme Court orders,” Sibal submitted.

“Let’s see what can be done,” Justice Chandrachud said even as he made it clear that judges were busy with various official functions on Constitution Day.

As the Bench said it had passed a detailed order on Thursday, Sibal said, “I know but two battalions of CAPF were not provided. Two constables were also not provided to the contesting candidates. We have electronic media evidence with us. Kindly list these applications urgently”.

The Supreme Court had on Thursday ordered the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to provide two additional companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to secure every polling booth during the Tripura municipal polls that took place on November 25 after the opposition TMC and CIP(M) alleged violence and intimidation of voters by ruling BJP supporters.

“In the circumstances, we direct that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to provide additional two companies of any CAPF as expeditiously as possible having due regard to the fact that polling has already commenced and in order to secure the polling booths so that polling can take place without any disturbance or dislocation, it had said.

It had ordered the State Election Commission, Tripura DGP and the state’s Home Secretary to ensure that all 770 polling booths were manned by a sufficient strength of Central Armed Police Force personnel, “to ensure free and fair elections.” Counting of votes is to take place on November 28.