West Bengal Post Poll Violence: Calcutta High Court To Examine NHRC's Report; Adjourns Case To July 2

The Calcutta High Court has taken on record a brief report filed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with respect to complaints filed by persons displaced during post-poll violence in West Bengal. The 7-member Committee of NHRC submitted its brief report along with annexures in a sealed cover today. However, NHRC counsel Subir Sanyal informed the Bench that it is only a part report and requested for more time so that the Committee can visit all affected places and submit a comprehensive report. The Bench said that it has briefly perused the report and requires more time to go through it properly, before passing any orders. Accordingly, the Bench of Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Binal and Justices IP Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar adjourned the matter to Friday, July 2. "We have opened the report. Before we pass any order, we feel it appropriate to go through the report along with annexures," ACJ Bindal said. Sanyal informed the Court that the Committee has been divided into 5-6 teams for visiting different affected areas. He stated that so far, the teams have visited 163 houses and has found certain things. However, he does not have a copy of the Report as NHRC was of the view that the report should be given to the Court first. Accordingly, the Bench declined Advocate General Kishore Dutta's request for circulation of the report. The Bench also declined Petitioners' request to direct NHRC to deploy teams at 5 stagnated nodal points, instead of randomly visiting their houses, so that people willing to ventilate their grievances can approach the institution. "We are not getting into how the investigation is being conducted…You can always make a representation before NHRC that we did not get a proper notice, please hear us," it observed. Lastly, the Bench declined to take on record an application filed by Advocate Priyanka Tibrewal (appearing for Petitioners), seeking extension of time granted to NHRC for investigating the ground situation. "We are not taking this application on record. We asked NHRC to take up the matter and it in turn constituted a Committee. How can you seek extension? You have no locus," ACJ Bindal said. Earlier, the High Court had refused to recall its June 18 order directing NHRC to constitute a committee for examining complaints filed by persons displaced during alleged post-poll violence. The Bench had observed that the State failed to inspire confidence of the Court and it does not find any occasion to recall/ modify or stay its operation. Subsequently, NHRC Chairman (Retd.) Justice Arun Mishra constituted a 7-member Committee to probe the allegations.

West Bengal Post Poll Violence: Calcutta High Court To Examine NHRC's Report; Adjourns Case To July 2

Akshita Saxena

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