The Supreme Court on Monday refused to tinker with the West Bengal panchayat election process but allowed the political parties or candidates prevented from filing nominations to approach the State Election Commission with their complaints.
A Bench of Justices RK Agarwal and Abhay Manohar Sapre was not inclined to interfere with the election process citing a previous SC decision which held that once the election process has been announced, Courts must not interfere. All grievances must be addressed to the concerned State Election Commission.
However, the court did not lose sight of the fact that acts of violence was coming in the way of several candidates being prevented from filing their nominations. This was the complaint by the West Bengal Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) that approached the Court. The Court gathered truth in this grievance from a notification issued by West Bengal Election Commission on April 5 allowing an additional venue for filing of nominations.
The Bench while allowing aggrieved candidates to approach the State poll panel, said, “If any such grievances are made by any political parties or any candidate in writing then needless to say, the State Election Commissioner would ensure disposal of any such grievance forthwith.”