New Delhi: The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear an application seeking President’s rule in West Bengal over the recent communal violence in Murshidabad district.A bench of justices Bhushan R Gavai and AG Masih, however, observed that it is facing criticism for allegedly encroaching on legislative turf through its recent verdicts. It was apparently a reference to Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s comment that the Supreme Court is acting like a ‘super Parliament’ by directing President Droupadi Murmu to act within a specific timeframe on bills sent by Governors for consideration.Some BJP leaders have also questioned the top court’s judgment on Tamil Nadu state versus Governor issue.Devdutta Maji and Mani Munjal, residents of West Bengal, sought imposition of President’s rule in the state, citing alleged attacks on Hindus during violent protests against the new Waqf law.Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain mentioned the petition and requested it to be heard along with pending petitions for imposition of President’s rule in the state over violence following the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.“You want us to issue a writ of mandamus (directing a public official, government body, or agency) to impose President’s Rule. As it is, we are being blamed for encroaching upon the legislative and executive functions,” the Supreme Court said.The bench allowed Maji and Munjal’s plea to be listed after Jain cited the 2021 matter.“All we seek is a report under Article 355 of the Constitution from the state,” said Jain.Article 355 of the Indian Constitution spells out the duty of the Union government to protect states from external aggression and internal disturbance, and to ensure that state governments function in accordance with the Constitution. This article is, at times, considered alongside Article 356, which allows for imposition of President’s Rule in a state.
