[BREAKING] Calcutta High Court seeks report from State government on post poll violence in West Bengal [READ ORDER]

A five-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday sought a report from the State government on the post poll violence that rocked the State after the All India Trinamool Congress scored a thumping victory in the 2021 State Assembly elections. .The report has to be submitted by May 10. "Mr. Kishore Dutta, learned Advocate General seeks adjournment to file affidavit of the Home Secretary of the State specifying the areas where the violence has taken place and the steps taken to prevent or control the same. The Court be also apprised of the latest status of law and order situation in the State," the order passed on Friday said. The Court will then consider whether to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incidents of violence. .The order was passed on a plea by a lawyer, Anindya Sundar Das claiming that post poll clashes between different political parties in the State have led to the death of at least 11 persons. .The plea alleged serious dereliction of duty on the part of police. "The present law and order situation in the State of West Bengal post assembly election results is quite alarming. Amidst Covid-19, this kind of heinous activities by different political parties has become a nightmare for the people," the petition said. Different political party workers and common people are fleeing their homes to escape the violence, it was submitted. .Though these gory activities are being reported from various districts in the State, no effective measures are being taken by the Police to control the situation and restore peace, the petitioner alleged. Such inaction by the police is disgraceful and harms democracy and warrants High Court's interferecne, it was submitted. "Police personnel are liable to be hauled by the Court to show cause as to why such dereliction," the petition stated. .Based on the above, Das prayed for measures to stop the violence and also sought constitution of SIT to investigate the same. It was also prayed that adequate central forces should be deployed in disturbed areas and families those who were killed should be given adequate compensation. .The matter first came up for hearing before a Division Bench which directed that it should be placed before a larger Bench taking into account the importance of the matter. Subsequently, the five-judge bench of Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar was constituted to hear the matter. The case will be heard again at 2 pm on May 10. .[Read Order]