Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the Bengal government to file a report on the violent incidents and killings that took place at Bhangar in South 24-Parganas during the filing of nominations for the July 8 panchayat polls.

“I am not concerned about political parties. My concern is only about the general public who have been the worst victims of the violence,” said Justice Rajasekhar Mantha.

The judge was hearing a bunch of petitions related to violence during the nomination filing and the death of four persons in political clashes that took place at Bhangar and elsewhere in Bengal.

“Actually, this court has no jurisdiction in election affairs. But if the peace and safety of common people are disturbed, the court cannot remain mum,” Justice Mantha said.

Police fire teargas at Bhangar on Wednesday. The Telegraph

Advocate Tarunjyoti Tiwari, who moved one of the petitions on behalf of the BJP, informed the judge about the deaths and violent incidents at Bhangar during the filing of nominations for the rural polls over the past few days.

After hearing the BJP counsel, Justice Mantha directed the state to file a report on the Bhangar violence by Monday.

A lawyer told the judge that several persons were injured when some goons attacked 60 Shiksha Bandhu candidates at Basirhat in North 24-Parganas on Thursday while they were proceeding to file nomination papers after receiving court orders.

The lawyer claimed that police were present at the spot but they did not take any action against the goons. The lawyer told the court that the candidates could not file the nominations.

As Justice Mantha is assigned cases related to police inaction or excess, the issue dealing with nominations was mentioned in the court of Justice Amrita Sinha. The cases related to the panchayat polls are heard by Justice Sinha.

Following a prayer, Justice Sinha issued an order, asking the State Election Commission to allow those candidates who had been disallowed from filing nominations on Thursday, to submit their papers at Basirhat by 4pm on Friday.

Justice Sinha asked the commission to video record the nomination filing.