Calcutta High Court on Thursday issued an order directing East Midnapore district police administration not to take any coercive steps against 47 victorious Opposition candidates of 17 gram panchayats under blocks 1 and 2 of Nandigram till August 12.

Justice Jay Sengupta of the high court also asked police authorities to ensure that the winning Opposition candidates could take part in the formation of boards on August 12.

Winning candidates of three major Opposition parties in Bengal — the BJP, the CPM and the Congress — said they were facing arrest threats and coercion to switch to Trinamul ever since they won. To seek protection from these "twin threats", they had separately moved court.

Their lawyers claimed that the police, at the behest of Trinamul leaders, were lodging false criminal cases against these winners and cops were threatening them with arrests if they took part in the board formation process.

The lawyers appearing for the state opposed the prayer and claimed that it had become a common practice of Opposition parties to move court and seek police protection by making false allegations against ruling party supporters.

"They are coming to court merely on the basis of apprehension that they would be heckled during board formation. But actually, the process is being conducted in a very peaceful way," the state lawyer said.

After hearing both sides, the judge issued the order and gave petitioners the liberty to move court again if they were harassed further.

So far, the court has heard over 300 petitions moved by victorious Opposition candidates of the panchayat elections from every part of Bengal. In most petitions, Opposition party winners accused ruling Trinamul of threatening them. They alleged the police were also threatening them with narcotic cases if they tried to prevent Trinamul from forming the boards at the respective panchayats. Several such cases are pending in court for disposal.