Kolkata, May 12 -- The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday approached the Calcutta High Court alleging widespread post-poll violence across West Bengal following the declaration of Assembly election results.
The matter was mentioned before a division bench headed by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen by advocate Sirsanya Banerjee, who had contested the Uttarpara Assembly seat as a TMC candidate.
In its plea, the TMC alleged that party workers and supporters were targeted in several districts after the declaration of results, with incidents of arson, vandalism and attacks on party offices being reported from different parts of the state. It was submitted that around 2000 workers and supporters were attacked, and around 365 party offices have been vandalised. The petition sought immediate protection for affected workers and demanded a fair probe into the alleged incidents of violence. Party leaders also claimed that several TMC workers were killed in clashes that broke out after the results and urged the court to consider a monitored investigation into the incidents.
The move comes amid growing political tension across the state, with reports of clashes and vandalism emerging from Kolkata, Howrah and several district towns. Both the BJP and TMC have accused each other of being responsible for the violence.
The High Court is also expected to hear another public interest litigation linked to alleged post-poll unrest, including vandalism in Kolkata's New Market area and damage to a Lenin statue in Murshidabad's Jiaganj. That petition has sought action against police personnel allegedly present during disturbances at Hogg Market and raised concerns over the law-and-order situation in the aftermath of the elections.
With multiple pleas now pending before the court, attention is likely to remain on the administration's handling of the violence and the demand for judicial oversight into
the incidents.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.