The Calcutta High Court Monday refused to pass any injunction on the Election Commission's decision to keep TMC's Birbhum district president Anubrata Mandal under surveillance.
The poll body had on Sunday ordered that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongman, who has often invited controversies with his remarks against opposition parties, be kept under scanner from 6 pm of April 28 to 7 am of April 30.
Polling is underway in Birbhum and seven other Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bengal in the fourth phase of the general election Monday.
Moving the petition for Mandal, TMC general secretary Baishyanor Chattopadhyay submitted that there was no ground for restricting his movement.
The court, however, noted that the EC has mentioned in its order that it has taken the decision based on feedback received by its officials and that the move was necessitated to ensure free and fair elections.
Justice Debangshu Basak, refusing to pass any interim injunction on the EC's order, directed Mandal and the poll panel to file affidavits on the maintainability of the petition of the TMC leader.
While Mandal will get two weeks to file his affidavit, the poll panel has been directed by the court to file its reply in another week after that.
The matter is scheduled for hearing in the court after three weeks.
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