The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea of BJP leaders against Calcutta High Court directing the State Election Commissioner to examine the ground situation in each of the 108 West Bengal municipalities going to the polls on February 27 and take a decision on deployment of paramilitary forces.

A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Surya Kant told senior advocate P.S. Patwalia, who appeared for BJP leaders Mousumi Roy and Pratap Banerjee: “Sorry. We are not inclined to entertain this petition.”

Patwalia said wide-scale violence and irregularities were reported during previous phases of municipal elections and deployment of central forces would help in ensuring free and fair elections.

He said the high court had erred in asking the State Election Commissioner to examine the ground situation and take a call on central forces.

Patwalia further contended that as the hearing was progressing in the top court, he had received a communication saying some additional forces would be deployed during the polls. “We have no problem with additional deployment of security forces but nowhere is it said that central forces will be deployed. What is wrong in deployment of Central forces,” he said.

They are also distributing title deeds to the electors under a scheme during the model code of conduct and State Election Commissioner has allowed it, Patwalia said, adding that 52,000 people were given such deeds which couldn’t be allowed.

Petition on Mukul

The Supreme Court Friday refused to entertain a plea filed by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari against an order of Bengal Assembly Speaker dismissing his petition seeking Mukul Roy’s disqualification as an MLA.

Banerjee had on February 11 dismissed the petition filed by Adhikari for Roy’s disqualification as an MLA under the anti-defection law for switching sides after elections.

A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and B.R. Gavai asked Adhikari to move Calcutta High Court against the Speaker’s decision.