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In a dramatic escalation of the electoral battle for West Bengal, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court of India seeking the immediate removal of Ajay Pal Sharma, a high-profile UP-cadre IPS officer, from his position as a Police Observer.
The petitioner e-filed the Writ Petition (Civil) late on the night of Tuesday (Diary No. EC-SCIN01-21815-2026). The petition invokes Article 32 of the Constitution, which allows citizens to move the apex court directly for the protection of fundamental rights, in this case, the right to a free and fair election. The petitioner alleged that Sharma, often nicknamed the "Singham of UP" for his record as an encounter specialist, has abandoned the neutrality required of an Election Commission (ECI) observer. The plea claimed that since assuming charge in South 24 Parganas, Sharma has engaged in "acts of intimidation" and "undue influence," specifically targeting political candidates. The petition argued that his presence "vitiates the electoral environment," undermining public confidence in the fairness of the 2026 Assembly Elections. The plea further alleges instances of intimidation, undue influence and bias, which, it claims, have vitiated the level playing field required during elections. It argues that such conduct undermines the fundamental objective of deploying observers, who are expected to act as neutral constitutional functionaries to uphold the integrity of the electoral process. Referring to provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the petition states that observers are appointed to independently monitor elections and ensure adherence to democratic norms. Any deviation from this role, it contends, weakens public confidence in the system. The petitioner has urged the apex court to take cognisance of the matter and issue necessary directions to safeguard the fairness of the ongoing electoral process. The campaigning for the second and final phase of the assembly elections in Bengal ended as 142 constituencies will go to the polls in the second phase on April 29. The state has recorded a massive 93.2% voter turnout in the first phase of the elections, a record-breaking figure that has both the TMC and the BJP claiming a decisive lead. The high turnout figures underline an active electoral exercise as polling drew to a close amid tight security arrangements across constituencies. The results will be declared on May 4, along with Assam, Keralam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. (ANI)
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