"People dying without jobs, food, shelter": Calcutta High Court refuses urgent hearing of plea on West Bengal panchayat elections

A request to prioritise the hearing of a case concerning the upcoming West Bengal Panchayat elections drew the ire of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday evening, with the Court orally observing that while some people have the luxury of fighting elections, others are dying because they do not have access to basic needs. .The bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Ajay Kumar Gupta was beginning to wrap up hearings for the day when a lawyer sought the Court’s indulgence to hear the case concerning panchayat elections tomorrow. The Court noted that the matter is listed for tomorrow, although the Chief Justice expressed that he does not know if the matter would reach or be heard..However, when the counsel continued to urge the Court to hear the matter tomorrow itself, Chief Justice Sivagnanam remarked,“Every day morning, this is the issue … What about people who are standing in the queue? One day you come and sit in this seat. Yesterday, 65 mentioning slips have been received.”.“We have become helpless, people are dying,” the lawyer told the Court, while pressing for an early hearing.“What to do? You are dying because you want to fight the elections. People are dying without employment, without food, without shelter," the Chief Justice replied.“Milord, this is the only remedy we have after 5 years … to ensure food and shelter,” the counsel submitted further.“You want to face the luxury of elections. That (another) fellow, for basic needs, he is suffering,” the Chief Justice remarked.When the lawyer persisted, requesting the Court to hear the case tomorrow, at any time, the Chief Justice pointed out that the issue would not end there.“The moment it is listed, what you will do is, at 10.30 or 10.45 am, you will mention to take it up at 12,” the Court remarked, adding that such jumping of the queue will not happen. .This led the lawyer to submit that there was an understanding that the matter would be heard soon, after it was mentioned yesterday and since the Court had granted leave to approach the registry for an early hearing..The bench, however, was quick to retort,“Then we release the matter, if you say the Court has got an understanding...We are very sorry. You take the matter elsewhere."“I leave it your Lordships, as per your Lordships’ convenience. We won’t trouble your Lordships anymore,” the lawyer assured the Court.“Your clients know what it is. There is a limit to all of this,” the Chief Justice said before the bench rose for the day..The lawyer submitted before Court that a massacre was happening when candidates were going to file nominations in a particular area and urged the Court to direct the Director General of Police (DGP) to ensure peace.The Court queried if a petition had been filed in the matter, adding that the Court cannot take cognisance on the basis of a letter.Chief Justice Sivagnanam also pointed out that if it is contempt petition connected to a case heard earlier, he would have to first enquire with the Court Officer to check when the concerned judge would be available to hear the matter. If it is a fresh case, notice would have to be served, the Court had added..On June 13, a bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya had directed the State Election Commission to requisition central forces and deploy them to oversee the conduct of the Panchayat polls. This order was upheld by the Supreme Court earlier today. .Meanwhile, two contempt petitions have reportedly been filed in the High Court over the alleged failure to comply with the High Court's June 13 order.