The division bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam of Calcutta High Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the validity of Rajiva Sinha’s appointment as state chief election commissioner.

The petitioner said the Bengal governor had refused to approve it.

The division bench rejected the petition with the observation that it was not a PIL as the interest of common people had not been affected because of Sinha’s appointment, and the petitioner had moved the case for media publicity.

ISF MLA plea

The division headed by Chief Justice Sivagnanam on Monday rejected a petition by ISF MLA Nawsad Siddiqui seeking an order for the State Election Commission to hold the panchayat polls in phases instead of on one day.

Siddiqui’s contention was that it was impossible for the SEC to hold free, fair and violence-free panchayat polls in one day across Bengal.

Rejecting the petition, the bench held that the issue of maintaining peace in the election was still pending before the court. “So there is no need for hearing the case,” the court said.

In another order, the division bench of Chief Justice on Monday rejected the petition moved by retired army officer Sridhar Bagri for an order to stop the ongoing panchayat poll process. Bagri had said free and fair polls were not possible amid violence and killings.

Order set aside

A Calcutta High Court division bench headed by Justice Arijit Banerjee on Monday set aside the order passed by Justice Amrita Sinha asking the SEC to allow 82 Opposition party candidates to file nomination papers.

The candidates alleged they had withdrawn their nominations after receiving threats from Trinamul workers.

Adhir’s fresh case

State Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury moved a fresh case before HC alleging that although incidents of violence and killings of political workers had become a regular feature in Bengal, there was no sign of deploying an adequate number of central forces. Choudhury sought the court’s immediate intervention on the issue. The division bench gave Chowdhury the liberty to file his case.