Kolkata, May 12: The Trinamool Congress has approached the Calcutta High Court seeking judicial intervention into alleged incidents of post-poll violence reported across West Bengal following the declaration of Assembly election results.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Sirsanya Banerjee, son of Trinamool Congress MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee.
On Tuesday, the matter was mentioned before the division bench headed by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul, with the petitioner seeking an urgent hearing into the allegations of violence and political attacks.
According to the petition, more than 2,000 Trinamool Congress workers and supporters were allegedly injured in incidents of post-poll violence that reportedly broke out in different parts of the state after the Assembly election results were declared on May 4.
The petitioner also claimed that nearly 365 Trinamool Congress party offices had allegedly been vandalised during the violence.
The PIL sought immediate intervention by the High Court to prevent further violence and restore normalcy in affected areas.
The petition further requested that an investigation be conducted by an appropriate agency into alleged attacks on Trinamool Congress workers and supporters across the state.
The petitioner additionally sought directions for measures aimed at ensuring a peaceful environment and preventing further political clashes.
After hearing the mention, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen observed that the matter may be taken up for hearing next Thursday.
The developments come amid growing political tension in West Bengal following the Assembly election results.
Earlier, allegations had surfaced regarding vandalism of statues of Vladimir Lenin in districts including Murshidabad and West Midnapore.
There were also allegations that BJP workers demolished a Trinamool Congress office located in Kolkata’s historic Hogg Market area using a bulldozer.
A separate public interest litigation had reportedly already been filed before the High Court regarding alleged incidents of post-poll violence and political clashes occurring in different parts of the state after the change of government.
According to reports, lawyer Ritankar Das had earlier approached the High Court seeking urgent intervention into incidents linked to post-election unrest.
Political leaders from the Trinamool Congress have also reportedly been posting videos and allegations related to violence on social media platforms.
The latest PIL filed on behalf of the Trinamool Congress adds to the legal and political developments surrounding allegations of post-poll violence in West Bengal.
Political violence following elections has remained a recurring issue in West Bengal over the years, with rival political parties frequently accusing each other of attacks, intimidation and vandalism after election results.
The High Court’s response to the petitions is likely to be closely watched amid ongoing political tensions in the state.
