Lok Sabha Elections: Calcutta High Court stays police action against two BJP candidates

The Calcutta High Court on Monday temporarily restrained the West Bengal police from taking any coercive action in criminal cases filed against Rekha Patra and Pranat Tudu, two Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates who are contesting in the Lok Sabha elections. .Both candidates had approached the High Court with concerns that they were being hounded by the police since they belonged to an opposition party in the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led State. They claimed that false criminal cases had been registered against them and urged the Court for protection so that they are not prevented by the police from attending the counting of Lok Sabha election votes (which is taking place today)..By two orders passed on June 3, Justice Amrita Sinha temporarily stayed the criminal cases filed against Patra and Tudu - one which was registered on May 25 against Tudu, and another registered on June 1 against Patra. ."Tomorrow i.e. 4th June 2024 is the day of counting of votes of the general election. The presence of the petitioner may be required in the counting process and at the time of declaration of result. There is possibility that the petitioner may be harassed referring to the pending criminal case registered on 1st June, 2024," the Court's June 3 order on Patra's petition stated..The criminal case registered on June 1 against Patra has been stayed till July 5, and the police have been restrained from taking any coercive steps against her till then..A similar order was passed on the petition filed by Pranat Tudu.Tudu had submitted that he, along with his security personnel, were attacked by over 200 people with lathis, stones and sharp weapons on the day of the election, but that the police did not take any steps to register his criminal complaint.On the other hand, he argued that the police immediately lodged a case against him on a complaint by a private person. The police were now trying to hound him, his co-workers and his security personnel, Tudu added while urging the High Court to issue directions so that he is able to be present for the vote-counting process without any threat..In response, the Court has directed the police not to take any further steps in the criminal complaint lodged against Tudu till June 21 or until further orders. "The aforesaid order is being passed only because the petitioner is a contesting candidate and his presence may be required at the time of counting of votes and at the time of declaration of the result of the Parliament General Election," the Court said. .Tudu's petition has been listed to be heard next on June 18, while Patra's petition has been listed on June 19. .Advocates Billwadal Bhattacharyya, Sayak Chakraborti, Moyukh Mukherjee and Wrickbrata Roy represented Pranat Tudu.Advocates Billwadal Bhattacharyya, Moyukh Mukherjee, Sayantan Sinha, Sarthak Mondal and Sarmistha Basak represented Rekha Patra.Advocates Swapan Banerjee, Amrita Panja Moulick, Debangshu Dinda, Rameswar Sinha, Dipanjan Datta and Rupsa Chakraborty represented the State.Advocates Siddhartha Lahiri and Tapan Bhanja appeared for the Union of India..[Read Orders]