Editor's Pick: SC upholds Calcutta HC decision to deploy Central Security Forces

In an unfavourable turn of events for the incumbent Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Calcutta High Court to allow Central Security Forces to enter West Bengal and ensure free and fair elections. The June 15 order of the High Court had taken away the state government’s power to maintain law and order in its own jurisdiction. A Vacation Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Manoj Mishra held that the state has a “history of violence “during polls. Furthermore, the upcoming polls were a mammoth exercise involving elections to 75,000-odd seats. Polling would take place across 61,636 booths in just one day, requiring adequate security measures. The bench said that deploying central forces were to ensure the conduct of fair elections. “Holding an election cannot be a licence for violence. There has been a history of violence...We appreciate that you are a state having a democratic set up right up to the grassroot level where elections are taking place, but, at the same time, elections cannot be accompanied by violence,” Justice Nagarathna addressed the State government. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had previously argued that central forces had been deployed in Manipur, but the violence did not end. The opposition parties had questioned the state election commission’s rationale for the legal challenge when the cost was to be borne by the Centre. In court on Tuesday, arguing for opposition leader from BJP Suvendu Adhikari, Senior advocate Harish Salve, contended that the state government imagined the Union forces as an “invading army”. Parties in the state have blamed each other for violence. For example, in Malda, minister in the state government, Sabina Yeasmin had stated that leaders of their party who were refused ticket joined the Congress and were behind the murder of a candidate in the district. The Hindu’s Editorials A welcome step: on the Blinken-Xi meet in China Embedded hate: violence and racial discrimination by the U.S. police The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Which State government has agreed to help the Congress government in Karnataka, which is struggling to procure rice for its ambitious Anna Bhagya scheme? Rajasthan Punjab Haryana Chhattisgarh To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 21 June 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Apex Court upholds Calcutta High Court decision to deploy Central Security Forces for upcoming elections In an unfavourable turn of events for the incumbent Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the [Calcutta High Court to allow Central Security Forces to enter West Bengal]( ensure free and fair elections. The June 15 order of the High Court had taken away the state government’s power to maintain law and order in its own jurisdiction. A Vacation Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Manoj Mishra held that the state has a “history of violence “during polls. Furthermore, the upcoming polls were a mammoth exercise involving elections to 75,000-odd seats. Polling would take place across 61,636 booths in just one day, requiring adequate security measures. The bench said that deploying central forces were to ensure the conduct of fair elections.  “Holding an election cannot be a licence for violence. There has been a history of violence...We appreciate that you are a state having a democratic set up right up to the grassroot level where elections are taking place, but, at the same time, elections cannot be accompanied by violence,” Justice Nagarathna addressed the State government. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had previously argued that central forces had been deployed in Manipur, but the violence did not end. The opposition parties had questioned the state election commission’s rationale for the legal challenge when the cost was to be borne by the Centre. In court on Tuesday, arguing for opposition leader from BJP Suvendu Adhikari, Senior advocate Harish Salve, contended that the state government imagined the Union forces as an “invading army”. Parties in the state have blamed each other for violence. For example, in Malda, minister in the state government, Sabina Yeasmin had stated that leaders of their party who were refused ticket joined the Congress and were behind the murder of a candidate in the district.  The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][A welcome step: on the Blinken-Xi meet in China]( [Arrow][Embedded hate: violence and racial discrimination by the U.S. policeÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Which State government has agreed to help the Congress government in Karnataka, which is struggling to procure rice for its ambitious Anna Bhagya scheme? - Rajasthan - Punjab - Haryana - Chhattisgarh To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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