SC instructs petitioners to approach high court on the alleged attack on Mamata Banerjee

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear a plea seeking the court's direction for an investigation by an independent investigative agency like the CBI into the alleged attack on CM Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram on March 10. The bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde further instructed the counsel appearing for the petitioners to approach the Calcutta High Court instead.

Mamata Banerjee has alleged that 4-5 men attacked her in Nandigram after she filed her nominations for the assembly constituency to contest Trinamool-turned-BJP candidate Suvendhu Adhikari. The petitioners Shubham Awasthi and two others called for an investigation into the attack on a constitutional functionary. It further sought directions to concerned authorities to develop guidelines for such instances and constitute a temporary body with extensive powers to look into poll violence and issue necessary punishment.

"Such an attack on a Constitutional functionary violates the idea of a free and fair elections and has given free reign to political parties to influence voters," the plea, filed through advocate Vivek Narayan Sharma, said.

"Poll violence is an anathema to the idea of free and fair elections, and they need to be investigated in order to...achieve the goals which guide the functioning of a democracy," it added.