SC declines plea for paramilitary deployment in West Bengal amid Murshidabad violence

The Supreme Court yesterday declined to pass any directions on a plea seeking deployment of paramilitary forces in West Bengal in light of the violence that broke out in Murshidabad over the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The matter seeking urgent listing and directions was mentioned before a Bench of Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih.

The petitioner sought for immediate deployment of paramilitary forces and the implementation of Article 355 of the Constitution. Reacting to the mention, Justice Gavai remarked that the Court is already being accused of overstepping into executive and legislative functions. Justice Gavai’s comments appeared to refer to the recent controversy



surrounding the Supreme Court’s direction to the Governor and the President to clear bills passed by the State legislature within specific timelines. Article 355 of the Constitution outlines the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance and to ensure that the Government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

The present plea filed as an application in an already pending case has sought the constitution of a three-member committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to inquire into the violence that took place in Murshidabad over the Waqf Amendment Act.