HC dismisses Bengal govt's plea, NHRC to probe post-poll violence

The bench had passed the order on June 18, taking note of a report which said that 3,243 persons were reported to be affected till noon of June 10

The Calcutta High Court on Monday rejected the West Bengal government’s plea to recall its order asking the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to probe all the cases of post-poll violence in the state. The state government's plea was dismissed by a five-judge bench of the High Court.

The order was passed by the High Court in response to a dome PILs alleging that people were forced to flee from their homes, properties were destroyed and shops and other places of business were vandalized due to post-poll violence in West Bengal.

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The Calcutta High Court instructed the NHRC to probe the incidents of post-poll violence on June 18. The High Court passed the order in view of a report submitted by the Member Secretary of West Bengal State Legal Services Authority, according to which 3243 persons were reported to be affected by post-poll violence as of June 10.

The High Court instructed the NHRC to set up a committee to examine the complaints of people who were displaced because of post-poll violence.

Noticing that the state government was yet to respond to some of the complaints of post-poll violence, the High Court remarked that the state cannot be allowed to proceed in the manner it likes and the complaints required immediate action.