New Delhi, April 9: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking immediate directions to protect judicial officers, government officials and ordinary citizens from what the petitioner describes as politically motivated violence and intimidation in West Bengal as elections approach.
Filed under Article 32 of the Constitution by Satish Kumar Aggarwal, a former vice president of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, the plea alleges a long-standing pattern of election‑related violence and obstruction of public officials in the state. The petition urges the apex court to direct the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the West Bengal government to take all necessary measures to safeguard the electoral process.
The plea, calls for the deployment of adequate central security forces to ensure the safety of officials carrying out election duties as well as protection for citizens exercising their franchise. It also seeks orders directing the state administration to maintain law and order during the election period and after voting concludes.
Aggarwal’s petition points to past polls to underscore its concerns, citing reports of violence during the 2013 rural elections in the state. According to the plea, 39 people were killed and a significant number of seats were won uncontested amid alleged intimidation of candidates and voters.
The petition further highlights the 2018 Panchayat elections, asserting that around 20 people lost their lives and opposition candidates faced threats that impeded their filing of nominations. “The recurring incidents of political violence in West Bengal reflect a systemic failure to ensure free and fair elections and to protect the fundamental rights of citizens,” the petition states.
Recent incidents are also cited in the plea. It refers to alleged obstruction of Enforcement Directorate officials during searches in January this year in Kolkata and Delhi. The petition says election officials and government officers in districts such as Nadia and Hooghly have faced threats and coercion while carrying out their duties.
One episode detailed in the PIL involves judicial officers conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in April 2026. The petition claims that seven judicial officers were surrounded by a mob for several hours before police and central forces intervened, creating an atmosphere of fear that hindered officials from performing their duties independently.
In another cited incident in Hooghly district, government officers tasked with monitoring compliance in the election process were allegedly threatened, prompting the deployment of central security forces for their protection, according to the plea.
Describing the situation in the state as “grave and alarming,” the petition argues that such events not only endanger public servants but also undermine democratic procedures. “The failure to protect judicial officers and government functionaries strikes at the very foundation of the rule of law,” the petition says.
The plea contends that the state machinery has been unable to curb these alleged incidents effectively, necessitating judicial intervention. It urges the Supreme Court to issue directives to ensure adequate security arrangements, prevent interference from political actors, and adopt proactive measures to safeguard citizens and officials during the election period.
Among the reliefs sought, the petitioner asks the court to instruct authorities to deploy appropriate security forces, uphold the integrity of the election process and protect the fundamental rights of all stakeholders in the run‑up to and during the polls.
