SC dismisses West Bengal govt's plea against deployment of central forces during panchayat polls

New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Tuesday, elections cannot be a license for violence, as it dismissed the Mamata Banerjee government's petition challenging the deployment of central forces in Bengal for the July 8 local body polls.

The Supreme Court said that they appreciate that the state has a democratic setup for elections from top to bottom, but the elections cannot be followed by violence. West Bengal government, had challenged the Calcutta High Court order directing the deployment of central forces in the



state.

The tenor of the High Court order is to ensure free and fair elections, the Supreme Court said.

A bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Manoj Misra said, the order of the High Court does not call for any interference.  

The West Bengal government and the State Election Commission had challenged the Calcutta High Court's order directing central forces for security during the Panchayat polls.