The Supreme Court on Tuesday “dismissed” the West Bengal Government’s and other appeals requesting rescheduling of the panchayat polls in view of the holy month of Ramzan .
On June 28, the apex court ordered that the polls be held in five phases between July 11 and July 15.
But, applications had been moved before the apex court seeking fresh schedule for polls as Ramzan was coinciding with the poll dates.
Sourav Das, State Panchayat Secretary, said: “We have issued the notification for five-phase polls as per the apex court’s order.” Opposition parties, however, blamed the West Bengal Government for trying to delay the Panchayat polls using Ramzan as an “excuse”.
“People of Bengal and minorities will now realise that Mamata Banerjee has tried to play a game by citing the Ramzan month as an excuse for rescheduling the polls,” CPI(M) central committee member Mohammed Selim said.
“The State itself did not want the polls; the issue of Ramzan month was just an excuse,” State Congress President Pradip Bhattacharjee said.
PTI reports from Delhi:
A bench of justices A. K. Patnayak and Ranjan Gogoi turned down the plea saying that it respects the sentiments of Muslim community but constitutional provision, for holding the election before tenure of Panchayat comes to an end, cannot be bypassed.
It noted that dates cannot be rescheduled as the Centre has expressed its inability in providing police force before July 10. “Should we violate the Constitution (by postponing the dates) or should we allow polls without security?” the bench asked the State Government and NGOs.
“Judges have to go according to Constitution,” the bench said and pulled up the West Bengal government for “dilly—dallying” on the issue.
“If you (State Government) wanted to have election on time then you should have taken steps earlier. This is dilly-dallying,” the bench said and directed it to issue notification as per court’s order.
“We cannot modify schedule of election. The State Government shall issue notification pursuant to our order,” the bench said. The apex court had, while fixing the date of polls, also directed the State Government to provide on an average 35,000 security personnel for each phase of the election and the rest of the requirement of security forces will be provided by the Centre.
ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in