The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday issued a stay on the Centre’s decision on the withdrawal of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) from the Darjeeling hills.
A Division Bench of Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Debangsu Basak, while issuing an interim stay on the move, said the Centre had failed to provide enough reasons for the decision.
The West Bengal government, which has opposed the Centre’s decision, had moved the High Court earlier in the day seeking a stay on it. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed the stay.
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When the Court wanted to know the reason, counsel representing the Centre referred to the elections in Himachal Pradesh. The Court observed that there were not enough reasons for withdrawal of the forces and asked the Centre to file an affidavit by October 23. The State government will reply to it by October 26 and the matter will come up for hearing on October 27.
Earlier on June 14, while hearing a public interest litigation petition, the Court had directed the Centre to deploy additional companies of Central forces in the hills.
On October 15, the Ministry of Home Affairs sent a communication to the West Bengal government announcing withdrawal of 10 of the 15 companies of the CAPF posted in the hills. Ms. Banerjee said she spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh after which he said seven companies would be withdrawn.
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Ms. Banerjee on Monday came down on the Centre’s decision and sent letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Rajnath Singh.
Meanwhile, Surajit Purkayashtha, DGP, who is visiting the hills, said normalcy had returned and tourists were slowly coming back to the hills. He said many people who were trying to create disturbances had been arrested.