Calcutta HC stays EC order against 800 ‘troublemakers’ list ahead of Bengal polls

The EC modified its earlier order restricting the movement of two-wheelers, allowing service providers such as Ola, Uber, Zomato, Swiggy and other home delivery agencies and office-goers carrying proper identity cards to move. The panel had previously banned motorcycles in West Bengal between 6 pm and 6 am two days before every polling phase.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen stayed the EC order on an interim basis. The court said preventive actions must be taken in accordance with detention law, and stayed the impugned order dated April 21 until the last day of June 2026 or until further order.

A Public Interest Litigation was filed in the Calcutta High Court, alleging that the EC has no authority to designate certain citizens as ‘troublemakers’ and direct police actions. The petitioner was Md Danish Farooqui, represented by TMC lawmaker and senior advocate Kalyan Bandyopadhyay.

A letter from the police observer in the Chief Electoral Officer’s office to the DGP requested directions to take immediate suitable preventive actions against all such persons after due diligence and in accordance with law.

The EC, on Tuesday, sought certificates from all police stations where phase-1 elections are scheduled, confirming that no outsiders were present in their areas. A senior EC official said that technically even tourists and relatives are not allowed to stay in any constituency going to polls in the next 48 hours.

The Election Commission directed the state’s Director General of Police to take preventive action against around 800 alleged 'troublemakers' ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections. A list containing about 800 names, including elected representatives such as councillors, panchayat members, MLAs and MPs, was prepared and sent to the DGP for action.