Close on the heels of the Supreme Court order literally ticking off the Bengal Government for dilly-dallying the panchayat elections, a fresh suit was filed in the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday demanding prompt elections in 13 municipalities where polls had become due.
A PIl filed by advocate Basavi Roychowdhury blamed the Government for trying to subvert the Constitutional provisions regarding civic polls and sought the court’s intervention directing the State to hold elections in 13 municipalities.
The PIl likely to be taken up on Thursday for hearing charged the State with shirking its responsibilities as enshrined in Article 243U of the Constitution. It states that the recent Supreme Court verdict pulling up the State Government for failing to hold the panchayat elections on time showed how the Government had been bent upon subverting the Constitutional provisions. Among the 13 municipalities are Midnapore, Diamond Harbour, Dubrajpur, Chakdaha, Haldibari, Mekhliganj Balurghat, Alipurduar among others.
Instead of holding talks with the State Election Commission on holding elections in these municipalities the Government had put these them under executive officers, the petition says. This act of the State was a blatant violation of the Article 2453U of the Constitution that says every elected house of a municipality should continue for 5 years and no longer.
“This Government is afraid of holding elections against the backdrop of failing law and order situation and over all maladministration. The Trinamool Congress which came to power by a huge mandate is fast losing its popular base and so it is trying to retain its control over panchayats and municipalities,” said Srinjay Sengupta advocate.
Meanwhile, even as CM Mamata Banerjee accepted the apex court verdict directing five-phase panchayat elections starting July 11, the SEC on Wednesday issued its modified notification for the elections.
The SEC also called an all-party meeting on Saturday even as Opposition left Front demanded mobilisation of forces three days before the polls.