In yet another judicial jolt to the Mamata Banerjee Government, the Calcutta High Court on Friday rejected its insistence against the State Election Commission for two-phase panchayat polls under the supervision of the West Bengal Police. The court upheld State Election Commission's plea for three-phase elections with the help of Central forces "to the full satisfaction" of the Commission —meaning clearly thereby that the Government will have to provide 800 companies of Central forces as demanded earlier by the SEC.
Meanwhile, the State Government on Friday declared that it will challenge the court order. State Panchayat Minister Subroto Mukherjee said, "The Government has decided to go for an appeal as it is an impractical order impossible to be implemented."
Adding to the embarrassment of Writers' Buildings, the HC also directed the Government to send the names of 400 election observers to the SEC within 24 hours, and announce the dates of elections —that is essentially to be held by June end — as also to inform the Commission about the availability of the Central forces.
What was more damaging for the Government was a remark by Justice Biswanath Somaddar, who said that a political party would always try to cling on to power and hence impartial Constitutional bodies like the Central and the State Election Commissions had been created.
The HC also turned down the Government's plea that hosting 800 companies of Central forces would cost the Government hugely, saying that cost should not come in the way of upholding democracy.
The Government and the SEC had come to blows after the former allegedly took unanimous decision to announce two-phase elections under the supervision of the State Police. The SEC and political outfits like BJP, left and Congress had moved the court seeking redressal against what they called "the Government's lack of intent to hold panchayat elections."
On whether it was an embarrassment to the Mamata Government, pleader Ashok Banerjee said, "It is not a case of loss of face for the Chief Minister as she is trying to conduct the elections honesty."
State Election Commissioner Meera Pandey said, "We are happy that our stance has been vindicated and we will follow the directions of the court."
Gung ho about the verdict, CPI(M) leader Gautam Deb said, "This is only a loss in the court. The real loss for them is awaiting them when they will face voters. And it is this fear of facing the people --- which has increased in the wake of chit fund scam --- that they are trying to avoid the polls." He added, "The Trinamool will never allow the panchayat elections to take place before the general polls."
State BJP president Rahul Sinha said, "We were the first to move the court and our stance has been vindicated by the order. TMC knows that their mass base is receding very fast and so they do not want to face the elections."