Calcutta HC seeks affidavit from Bengal govt on compensation for rural poll violence victims

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Monday asked the West Bengal government to file an affidavit detailing the compensation provided to the families of the 54 people killed in violence in the recently concluded panchayat polls.

A division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya asked the state government to file an affidavit by September 26 on this count.

In the affidavit, the bench directed the state government to provide names and other details of the individuals killed in the rural civic body poll violence.

The bench also sought details of the families who have been provided with a one- time compensation of Rs 2,00,000 and also those victims’ families where one member has been provided the appointment letter for home-guard as promised by the state government.

It gave this direction to the state government while hearing a petition filed by state Congress president in West

Bengal and veteran party Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury accusing the state government of delaying the process long after the announcement on this count was made.

In his petition, Chowdhury alleged that although the compensation announcement was made on July 14 this year, till date only 17 families actually received the compensation.

The veteran Congress leader also alleged that it is also not quite clear on whether the families of the genuine victims received the compensation or the jobs as promised by the state government. He also questioned the progress regarding payment of compensation for the injured victims in rural poll violence.