Despite prohibitory orders, violence mars nomination process for West Bengal panchayat polls

At Barsul in East Burdwan district, CPM workers were stopped allegedly by activists of the ruling TMC. Soon both sides pelted stones at each other, leaving workers from both parties injured. They also used bamboo sticks to beat up each other. Three policemen were also injured in the clash. Later police and the Rapid Action Force brought the situation under control. In protest, CPM workers put up a road blockade in the Palsit area of the district.

At Jamuria in West Burdwan district, a few BJP candidates were prevented from filing their papers allegedly by ruling party workers. A similar incident took place at Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district also. At Pandua in Hooghly district, police stopped BJP MP Locket Chatterjee from entering the BDO office citing CrPC section 144.

At Sonamukhi in Bankura district, a clash broke out between workers of the ruling party and the BJP. BJP MLA Dibakara Gharami was allegedly heckled in front of police.

At Minakhan in North 24 Parganas district, CPM workers faced obstacles in filing papers. They alleged that TMC activists gheraoed their party office and attacked them. Several CPM workers were injured in the attack.
Similar incidents of violence were also reported from Raninagar in Murshidabad district, where ruling party workers were accused of intimidating Opposition candidates.

HC urges commission to postpone polls

The Calcutta High Court on Monday urged the State Election Commission to extend the nomination period and postpone the panchayat polls. However, the court did not give any final order and made this observation while hearing PIL petitions filed by Opposition parties.

A bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya observed that a six-day nomination period was too short and that it should be extended. The court said the polling date would then have to be postponed to July 16.

However, the commission’s counsel said a decision on this count could not be taken without the state government’s approval. The counsel submitted a report proposing to extend the nomination period by another day, till June 16. It also proposed the extension of the nomination period each day by two hours.

The court advised the commission to consider deployment of central armed forces for the polling and counting. It was of the view that if the majority of state police are deployed on poll duty, there might be a shortage of security personnel to maintain law and order.

The court also asked the commission not to use contractual state government employees on poll-related duties or civic volunteers for poll security-related duties. The matter is still being heard in the court.

The three-tier panchayat elections will be held in a single phase on July 8 with the counting of votes scheduled for July 11, and the polling will be held from 7 am to 5 pm. The process of filing nominations will continue till June 15. The last day to withdraw nominations is June 20.