The uncertainty on panchayat polls in West Bengal is finally over.
The Calcutta High on Tuesday ordered that the polls be held in three phases by July 15. The tenure of the existing rural bodies will end in June. The verdict has been welcomed by West Bengal Government.
Responding to an appeal by the State Government, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalyo Bagchi upheld a previous judgment in favour of three-phased polls, as was sought by the State Election Commission (SEC).
“Polls should be in three phases. Dates and division of districts to be decided by the State in consultation with the SEC. Election process should be completed before July 15 in any case,” Justice Mishra said.
Armed Police
The Division Bench directed the State to provide at least two armed police personnel and two constables in highly-sensitive booths. According to SEC, more than half of the booths are either “sensitive or highly-sensitive”. The court, however, did not concede SEC’s plea for deployment of central paramilitary forces to conduct free and fair polls.
“If there is a shortfall in the number of security forces, will be taken care of by the State…The police force can be brought in from other states,” the Chief Justice said.
The Court also granted the State Government three days’ time for issuing a notification on the rural polls and submitting a list of observers.
Face saver
According to political analysts, today’s order came as a face saver for the State Government which was clearly on the back foot after Justice B Somadder ruled that the “primacy of SEC in holding elections is non-negotiable”.
In his order on May 10, Justice Somadder asked the State to concede to all demands of SEC including the deployment of central paramilitary forces from the nomination stage.
The State had long neglected SEC’s recommendations on holding panchayat polls and even went ahead in announcing the poll dates on its own, forcing SEC to approach the Court for recourse on April 1.
‘Conspiracy failed’
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is currently travelling in North Bengal, welcomed the Division Bench verdict.
“We have been trying to hold the panchayat polls since last month. We are happy that the polls will finally be held now. I am happy that the conspiracy by the opposition parties to stall the polls has been defeated,” Banerjee told reporters.
Leader of the Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra said that the Left Parties had always demanded that elections be held on time.
“We have always demanded free, fair and peaceful elections. The Government has realised it of late. Better late than never,” Mishra said.
On the issue of Central forces, Mishra said that their deployment was not in the hands of the State Government.
West Bengal State Congress President Pradip Bjattacharya said: “The State Government was trying to stall panchayat elections, thereby creating a Constitutional crisis. We are happy that the rural poll is going to be held.”