The Supreme Court sought a reply from the Center to impose presidential rule in Bengal

(PTI) New Delhi, Dt

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought a reply from the Center on the issue of imposing presidential rule in the state in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal due to post-election violence. An application has been filed in the Supreme Court to intervene in the issue as political violence continues in the state even after the results of the May 2 assembly elections were declared in West Bengal. The apex court has also sent notices to the Election Commission and West Bengal to hear the petition.

The petition filed in the Supreme Court also seeks directions to the Center for the appointment of armed / paramilitary forces with the help of the administration to save West Bengal from internal conflict and bring normalcy to the state. The petition also seeks setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the causes of post-election violence in West Bengal and identify the culprits and punish them. The state has also demanded compensation for the victims of post-election violence and their families.

A bench of Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari has issued notices to the Center, the West Bengal government and the Election Commission on the application. Uttar Pradesh-based lawyer Ranjana Agnihotri and social activist Jitendra Singh had filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking an impartial inquiry into the post-election violence in West Bengal.

The bench had sent notices to Defendant-1 Central Government, Defendant-2 West Bengal Government and Defendant-2 Election Commission regarding the petition. However, the bench did not send notice to Mamata Banerjee as the respondent-3 Trinamool Congress president. The petition said that thousands of residents of the state were being beaten, punished and harassed by Trinamool Congress workers for supporting the opposition BJP during the Assembly elections.

"Hindus have been targeted mostly by Muslims in West Bengal," the petition said. He has been attacking Hindus for years in retaliation for supporting the BJP to keep the party of his choice in power in the state. With the results of the May 2 assembly elections being declared in the state, Trinamool Congress workers and supporters created chaos. Homes and properties of Hindus were set on fire, looted and their belongings vandalized for supporting the BJP in the Assembly elections. According to the petition, 18 BJP workers and supporters lost their lives and a number of people were injured due to spreading terror among BJP workers and supporters.

The Fact Finding Committee submitted the report to the Home Ministry

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The Fact-Finding Committee on Post-Election Violence in West Bengal has submitted its report to the Union Home Ministry. The report said that the violence was carried out under a well-planned conspiracy in Bengal. Supporters of a special group were targeted during the violence. Along with political activists, thugs and mafia were also involved in the violence. After the assembly elections in Bengal, there was heavy violence, arson and looting. An estimated 15 people were killed in the violence. The BJP blamed activists and supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress for the violence. The Union Home Ministry then formed a four-member team to investigate the causes of the violence and review the situation in the state. A case of post-election violence also reached the Calcutta High Court.