Sandeshkhali: Supreme Court stays Lok Sabha panel notices to West Bengal Chief Secretary, DGP

New Delhi, February 19

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee’s order summoning the West Bengal Chief Secretary and several other officers on February 19 following a complaint filed by BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar alleging “misconduct, brutality and life-threatening injuries”.

LS secretariat counsel opposes order

• The Lok Sabha Secretariat counsel opposed the grant of stay, saying this is the first sitting of the privileges committee
• “They are not being accused of anything. This is a regular process. Once an MP sends a notice and the Speaker thinks there is something to look into then notices are issued,” the counsel said

A Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud stayed the proceedings before the Privileges Committee after senior advocates Kapil Sibal and AM Singhvi mentioned it for urgent hearing.

Majumdar was injured during a protest against alleged systematic exploitation and sexual assault against women in Sandeshkhali village by TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and his henchmen. Majumdar sustained injuries last week as BJP workers clashed with police personnel after being stopped from going to violence-hit Sandeshkhali in West Bengal.

The Lok Sabha Secretariat counsel opposed the grant of stay by the top court, saying this is the first sitting of the privileges committee. “They are not being accused of anything. This is a regular process. Once an MP sends a notice and the Speaker thinks there is something to look into then notices are issued,” the counsel said.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Bhagwati Prasad Gopalika and Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar were summoned by the Lok Sabha Secretariat to appear on Monday. The Bench issued notices to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and others asking them to respond in four weeks.

Another Bench led by Justice BV Nagarathna on Monday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a court-monitored CBI or SIT probe into the violence in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali village, saying the incidents cannot be compared to the savagery in Manipur.

“The local (Calcutta) high court will be the best to assess the situation. Let there be no dual forums,” the Bench said, granting liberty to petitioner Alakh Alok Srivastava to move the high court.