The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the West Bengal government to take steps to ensure that people displaced due to alleged post-poll violence in the state return to their homes.

It directed the police to keep a strict vigil in the areas where violence allegedly took place and ensure that such incidents do not recur.

The directive was issued by a division bench presided by Justice Harish Tandon while hearing petitions regarding allegations of violence in West Bengal after the Lok Sabha elections.

The bench is likely to pronounce its directions on extension of deployment of central forces in West Bengal in the written order which will be posted in the high court's website.

The court had earlier ordered the deployment of the central forces in the state to continue till June 21.

The bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, directed that the petitions will be taken up for hearing again on Wednesday.

The state's Advocate General Kishore Dutta informed the court that from June 4, when the Lok Sabha election results were declared, till June 18, a total of 859 complaints have been received through email by the Director General of Police's (DGP) office.

He stated that out of these, 204 complaints constitute cognisable offences and FIRs have been registered.

Dutta said that 175 complaints relating to non-cognisable cases have been registered.

The AG stated that 219 were duplicate complaints, 26 were incomplete while 14 were under scrutiny.

Observing that serious allegations have been made with regard to violence in the state following the elections, the court said that the question would be whether continuation of the deployment of central forces in such a scenario is inevitable.

Dutta submitted that 10 to 12 or even 20 complaints a day with regard to cognisable cases throughout the state does not depict a picture that the state police is unable to handle the situation.

Additional Solicitor General Asok Kumar Chakrabarti, representing the central government, stated that if the court directs, it will continue the deployment of the central forces in the state.

Lawyer-petitioner Priyanka Tibrewal gave a list of people displaced from their homes and of those whose houses were looted, in an affidavit submitted before the court.

It was alleged by Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal in their separate PILs that activists of a particular political party were being subjected to atrocities following the conclusion of the Lok Sabha election process.

Dutta opposed the allegations made by Tibrewal in an affidavit filed before the court on Friday.

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