Sandeshkhali: Supreme Court delays notifications from Lok Sabha panels to the Chief Secretary and DGP of West Bengal
In response to a complaint filed by BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar claiming “misconduct, brutality, and life-threatening injuries,” the Supreme Court on Monday suspended the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee’s decision calling the West Bengal Chief Secretary and several other officials on February 19.
The Privileges Committee hearings were halted by a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud when senior attorneys Kapil Sibal and AM Singhvi brought up the matter for an urgent hearing.
Majumdar sustained injuries during a demonstration against TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and his goons for allegedly routinely abusing and abusing women in Sandeshkhali hamlet. Majumdar was hurt last week during a brawl between BJP members and police when they were prevented from traveling to West Bengal’s violent Sandeshkhali.
The lawyer for the Lok Sabha Secretariat argued that as this is the privileges committee’s first meeting, the top court should not have granted the stay. “They are not facing any charges. This is a typical procedure. Notices are issued when an MP submits one and the Speaker determines that there is a matter that has to be looked into, the attorney said.
The Lok Sabha Secretariat summoned West Bengal Chief Secretary Bhagwati Prasad Gopalika and Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar to appear on Monday. The Lok Sabha Secretariat and other parties received notifications from the Bench requesting a response within four weeks.
A PIL seeking a court-monitored CBI or SIT investigation into the violence in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali hamlet was turned down by another bench on Monday. Judge BV Nagarathna headed this bench, and they said that the occurrences in the village could not be equated to the savagery in Manipur.
The appropriate court to evaluate the matter would be the local high court in Kolkata. The Bench allowed petitioner Alakh Alok Srivastava to petition the high court, saying, “Let there be no dual forums.”
