PIL filed at Calcutta HC questioning police deployment in internal political events

Kolkata, May 26

Leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Friday filed a PIL at the Calcutta High Court questioning the deployment of state police forces in the internal programmes and internal elections of a particular political party.

The leader of opposition did not name any particular political party. His clear hints were towards the ongoing mass outreach programme of Trinamool Congress, and where internal elections are conducted for selection of the party candidates for the forthcoming polls for the three-tier panchayat system in the state scheduled this year.

In the PIL, Adhikari said that although police have been deployed at the internal elections of a particular regional party, it is not clear whether that party has deposited any amount to the state exchequer as fees for the police deployment.

Adhikari has claimed that previously he had sent a query to the state police director general, Manoj Malviya on this count. However, he added, failing to get any reply from the office of the DGP he decided to file the PIL.

The leader of the opposition had also pointed out that there was no public interest linked to the internal elections of the political party. He also questioned whether there is a provision in the police manuals for force deployment in any internal election of a political party.