Bengal MLA Files Plea in Calcutta HC, Accuses Police of Stopping Him from Entering Constituency

All India Secular Front (AISD) legislator from the Bhangar Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, who is also the lone representative of his party in the Assembly, on Monday filed a petition at the Calcutta High Court accusing the state police of preventing him from entering his own constituency.

Siddique's counsel Firdaus Shamim, while filing the petition, has accused the state police of being over-active in the case of his client. He also questioned the legal authority by virtue of which the state police could prevent an elected legislative from entering the areas within the constituency from where he has been elected.

Calcutta High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta has admitted the petition. The matter will come up for hearing any day during the current week.

Bhangar witnessed a lot of violence since the date for polls to the three- tier panchayat system was announced on June 8. Altogether four casualties have been reported from Bhangar following clashes between the supporters of AISF and the ruling Trinamool Congress.

At a later stage Section 144 was imposed at Bhangar and barricades were raised at the principal entry points to the Assembly constituency.

On Sunday, as Siddique tried to enter his Assembly constituency, he was stopped by a huge police contingent present there. The AISF legislator was also seen entering into a heated conversation with senior police officials present on the spot.

Even Siddique's request to talk to the superior police officials was denied. The police officials present at the spot clearly told the legislature that the latter cannot be allowed to enter Bhangar unless further instructions on this count come from the higher authorities.

An adamant Siddique kept on waiting there from morning to late afternoon on Sunday and finally retreated.

Finally, on Monday morning, he sought the intervention of the Calcutta High Court accusing the police of deliberately preventing him from entering his own assembly constituency.