SEC Tenders 'Unconditional Apology' To Calcutta HC For Failure In Complying With Orders To Deploy Central Forces During 2023 Panchayat Polls

The Calcutta High Court on Monday took up a contempt matter against the West Bengal State Election Commission wherein the Court had issued Rule Nisi against the SEC and directed it to show cause why action should not be taken against it under contempt jurisdiction for "wilfully and deliberately" failing to comply with the court's orders for immediate deployment of central forces during. The Calcutta High Court on Monday took up a contempt matter against the West Bengal State Election Commission wherein the Court had issued Rule Nisi against the SEC and directed it to show cause why action should not be taken against it under contempt jurisdiction for "wilfully and deliberately" failing to comply with the court's orders for immediate deployment of central forces during the 2023 Panchayat Elections. The SEC had argued that they had delayed requesting central force deployment since they were in the process of appealing against the High Court's order before the Supreme Court and that any disobedience of the Court orders was completely unintentional and inadvertent. Upon holding that a prima facie case of contempt had been made out, the Court issued Rule and directed for the parties to file their written arguments and for the SEC to file its reply to the Court's show cause.