Calcutta High Court dismisses Bengal govt’s plea; NHRC to probe post-poll violence

Kolkata, June 21

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The Calcutta High Court on Monday dismissed the West Bengal government’s plea for recalling its order that directed the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to examine all cases of alleged human rights violations in post-poll violence in the state.

A five-judge bench of the high court dismissed the prayer of the West Bengal government for recalling the order passed in respect of a bunch of PILs alleging displacement of people from their residences, physical assault, destruction of property and ransacking of places of business owing to post-poll violence in the state.

The bench had passed the order on June 18, taking note of a report submitted by the Member Secretary of West Bengal State Legal Services Authority (WBSLSA) which said that 3,243 people were reported to be affected till noon of June 10.

The Member Secretary of WBSLSA further mentioned that in a number of cases the complaints were referred to the superintendents of police or the police stations concerned but no response was received.

The five-judge bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar, had in its order directed the chairperson of the NHRC to constitute a committee to examine the matter.

NHRC sets up panel

New Delhi: The NHRC has constituted a committee to inquire into the complaints of post-poll violence in West Bengal following a Calcutta High Court order in the matter, officials said Monday.

In a statement, the NHRC said Monday its chairman Justice (retd) Arun Mishra has constituted a committee to “inquire into the complaints of post-poll violence in West Bengal, in accordance with the orders of the Calcutta High Court”. PTI