WB Opposition leaders move Calcutta HC day after panchayat poll date announcement

A day after the announcement of panchayat polls in West Bengal, representatives of two political parties in the state Opposition – the BJP and the Congress – moved Calcutta High Court on Friday with petitions. They sought deployment of central forces, online filing of nominations, extension of duration for filing nominations, besides praying for other reliefs.

The BJP petition (Suvendu Adhikari and another) prayed for quashing the decision that permitted filing of nomination for five days, and sought extension of time for filing the same by at least 12 days from the notification of election.

The Congress petition (Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s), besides praying for a fresh notification after implementation of a set of demands submitted earlier to the state election commission, also sought deployment of central forces – from filing of nomination to the declaration of results.

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Calcutta HC Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, observed that the time limit fixed in the notification is inadequate. The court felt that the state election commission can fix a reasonable time for the filing of nominations.

On the petitioners’ representation that nominations be filed before the district magistrates concerned, or the commission, the court said that this point can be looked into by the commission.

The court stated that the entire poll process – filing of nominations to counting of votes and publishing of results – be videographed, and footages be protected and preserved by the commission.

The commission can take a decision about deployment of central forces, the court said, calling for its response on the issue. The commission will also file its response before the court on other concerns raised by the petitioners. The court will hear the matter on June 12.

Meanwhile, the state election commissioner held a meeting with the state chief secretary and the DG of WB Police. An interaction of the commissioner also took place with the district magistrates, and SPs, sources add.

Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA and leader of the Opposition in state legislative assembly, who met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Friday, had on Thursday tweeted raising his concerns regarding the polling announcements.

“Murder of Democracy in West Bengal. For the 1st time ever, the Panchayat Elections have been announced unilaterally without holding a single All Party Meeting at the Block levels, District Levels or at the State Level,” Adhikari had mentioned.