In a first-of-its kind development ever since the three-tier panchayat system was established in Bengal, the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe into an alleged document tampering by the BDO of Uluberia Block-I which led to nomination cancellations of two CPI-M women gram panchayat candidates.

The bench of Justice Amrita Sinha directed the agency to submit the probe report by July 7, a day ahead of the scheduled date of polls.

During the course of a separate hearing on a matter petitioned by CPI-M and ISF candidates in the aftermath of the rampant violence witnessed in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, judge Sinha remarked: “The elections should be stopped if so much violence, bloodshed and killings continue to mark the run up to the polls.”

The petitioners alleged that names of 19 Left and ISF candidates from Bhangar, who had successfully cleared the scrutiny stage, have mysteriously gone missing from the final list of candidates declared by the Commission on its website. The judge directed the Commission to ensure that the candidates in question were able to contest the polls.

The bench also directed the Commission to allow candidates to file nominations beyond the official deadline which is now past if they are unable to do so within the stipulated time frame on account of violence.

“This is a matter of utter shame for this state. The state should ensure that law and order is maintained as per directions of the court,” Sinha said. “This court doesn’t need to know about what happened in the past. We must focus on what’s happening now,” the judge remarked when the state’s counsel tried to draw the bench’s attention to the body count during the 1998 and 2003 rural polls and tried to convince the court that things are better now in comparison.

In the matter of Uluberia GP candidates, petitioners of Bahira and Dhulasimla gram panchayats alleged that supporting documents annexed along with their candidature applications were initially tick marked by the BDO, who is the ex-officio returning officer of the polls, as having passed the scrutiny. At a later stage they were found to have been crossed as disqualified. The petitioners’ allegation of tampering of the annexed documents with ulterior motives convinced Justice Sinha to hand over probe responsibilities to the CBI.

Bengal Pradesh Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also received a shot in the arm from Justice Sinha after the High Court, after hearing a third matter connected with panchayat poll violence, directed the Commission to allow Congress candidates in Burwan, Murshidabad to submit their Form B of candidature even though the deadline was past. Successful Form B submission allows candidates to fight elections under official symbols of political parties they choose to represent.

Chowdhury alleged that Trinamul miscreants attacked the Congress candidates and snatched their forms away when the latter had reached the local BDO office on Tuesday. Chowdhury remained seated on a dharna before the Burwan BDO office for over 24 hours till the High Court order arrived and allowed the leader to withdraw agitation.