The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday sought an affidavit from a responsible officer of the Centre detailing the difficulties in replacing a part of the Central Armed Police Force deployed in the restive Darjeeling hills.
A Bench of acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborty also asked the West Bengal Government to file another affidavit regarding deployment of its own forces in Darjeeling hills to quell the continuing unrest over separate statehood demand.
The Bench sought their affidavits by July 13 while expressing concern over the sufferings of people in stir-hit Darjeeling hills amid the ongoing tussle over replacement of forces, sought by the State for ‘operational reasons’.
The division Bench expressed concern at the continuous closure of most schools in the hills, including several boarding schools where pupils from all over the country and abroad study.
An indefinite bandh called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is spearheading the violent agitation demanding a separate State for the hills people, entered the 27th day on Tuesday.
The matter will come up for hearing again on July 14.
The State has asked for replacement of three companies of SSB and three women companies of CRPF with six companies of male CRPF personnel, citing operational reasons.