HC asks Bengal govt to file affidavit in 3 days

KOLKATA: The Calcutta high court on Friday asked the West Bengal government to file a report within three days on postpoll violence that has killed 16 people even as political clashes that have rocked the state for four days winded down.

The high court set up a fivejudge bench headed by acting chief justice Rajesh Bindal to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) related to post-poll violence that started after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won a thumping victory in the assembly polls on Sunday.

Advocate Anindya Sundar Das, who filed the public interest litigation on Thursday, said, “The matter was first heard by the division bench in the morning. Considering its seriousness, the court formed a larger bench comprising five judges.”

The state has been directed to file an affidavit on Monday, specifying areas where violence took place and steps taken by the government. The matter will be heard on Monday. The BJP has blamed TMC for the violence and approached the Supreme Court demanding a federal probe into the clashes. But chief minister Mamata Banerjee has accused BJP leaders of spreading fake videos and provoking people. TMC has also pointed out that several of its workers were attacked and killed.