The cold war between the Bengal Government and the State Election Commission over the conduct of panchayat elections was far from over. The SEC on Friday gave a cold snub to the Government which announced the poll dates earlier in the day. The Commission, however, postponed the formal announcement of the dates from its own side till next week before which it wanted certain issues to be resolved.
According to the State panchayat laws, the Government has first to notify the poll dates and district-wise arrangements of the elections to the Commission following which the SEC would officially notify the dates. The model code of conduct would start thereafter.
The prime issue currently between the two sides was the Government decision to hold elections in nine districts in the first round and four districts each in the second and third rounds respectively.
However, the Commission wants to hold elections in five North Bengal districts in the first phase and in six districts each in the second and third phase thereafter.
“The notification will come not before the next week,” a top SEC official said after Commission’s meeting with all the parties.
While, there was near unanimity regarding poll dates on July 2, 6 and 10, the Commission was opposed to the Government plans of clubbing nine South Bengal districts. The ruling Trinamool Congress had predominance in these districts. Incidentally, these are also the districts where the multi-crore Saradha scam had left widest impact. The dread Maoist belt of Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore also fall in these nine districts.
Emerging from the all-party meeting, Congress leader Manas Bhunia said his party had expressed its concerns regarding the safety and security of the candidates. “We have told the Commission to ensure that our candidates be allowed to file their nomination,” he said. CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb echoed his views saying the Commission was told about how the ruling party men were threatening the prospective opposition candidates against filing nomination.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Friday filed a corrective petition before the High Court regarding its order on the panchayat elections. The Commission wants the court to delete the word “consensus” from its order saying the court had neither asked for its consensus not it had given any.
Further, the SEC sought directions from the court regarding the order where it had directed the State Government to arrange for additional forces from other States or the Centre if there was shortage of armed personnel. The language of the order suggested that it would be the prerogative of the Government to make such arrangements if it considered the Commission’s demands as appropriate.
The petition would be heard on June 3 when the court would reopen after the summer vacation.