Plea in SC for President’s rule in West Bengal

Hyderabad : 20/05/2021

Plea in SC for President’s rule in West Bengal

A view of the Supreme Court of India. File | Photo Credit: S. Subramanium

Legal CorrespondentNEW DELHI  THE HINDU (Twitter)

It cites reports of post-poll murder of BJP workers, destruction of property allegedly by Trinamool Congress “goons”

A lawyer has asked the Supreme Court to “direct” the Centre to advise President’s rule in West Bengal on the ground of failure of the constitutional machinery, following reports about post-poll murders of BJP workers and wanton destruction of property allegedly by ruling Trinamool Congress “goons”.

Advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay said the apex court should “direct/request” the West Bengal Governor to give a detailed report on the “law and order situation in the State of West Bengal and failure of constitutional machineries in the State”.

The court, if satisfied, should then “be pleased to hold and declare that there is no rule of law in the State and there is complete failure of constitutional machinery”.

The petition also urged the apex court to direct the West Bengal government to immediately transfer the “killing” of 16 “perceived” BJP workers and the destruction of their houses to a Special Investigation Team for a time-bound investigation monitored by the Supreme Court.

The SIT should file periodic reports on the investigation before the apex court, Mr. Upadhyay underlined.

“Massacre killings of suspected BJP workers/supporters and destruction of their houses/properties have taken place soon after the election result were declared… The remaining workers/supporters of BJP and their families have been left with no other option than to leave their houses/residences and hide themselves to save their lives and limbs. Media reports have further revealed till filing of the instant petition that the incidents of killing of BJP workers and destruction of their properties by the people of TMC are still going on with complete impunity…” the petition said.

On Tuesday, a Vacation Bench of the Supreme Court had asked the State government to respond to a plea for a CBI probe into the death of two men, alleged to be BJP workers, by their families. The Bench had scheduled the next hearing in that case on May 25.