HC seeks SEC opinion on Cong poll violence plea

Advocate L C Bihani,counsel of the state election commission,said the state government did not provide adequate number of forces. Once the notification was issued,it was the task of the election commission to conduct the entire panchayat poll,added Bihani.

Advocate Pradip Kumar Tarafder,counsel of the Congress,said if the candidates could not file nominations and carry out campaigns,how would the election be held..

Government pleader Ashoke Banerjee,meanwhile,said some political parties were trying to stall the election process and were bringing baseless allegations to court.

Justice Banerjee told the government pleader not to politicise the matter and that it was a legal issue. He added that the candidates had the right to security.

Ashoke Banerjee urged the High Court to adjourn the case till next Tuesday as the Division Bench headed by the Chief Justice is hearing a case on the panchayat polls. Justice Banerjee,however,said he would hear the case tomorrow.

Cong accuses TMC of ushering in reign of terror

Accusing the Trinamool Congress of ushering in a reign of terror before panchayat polls,state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharjee on Wednesday charged the state government with total non-cooperation with the State Election Commission. “Ten workers of our party have already died. Several are seriously injured. The Trinamool has ushered in a reign of terror before panchayat polls so that opposition parties can’t contest,” Bhattacharjee said at a media conference. “The state government is not cooperating with the SEC. It is creating hurdles so that free and fair elections cannot be held.” PTI