The West Bengal Government and State Election Commission (SEC) have yet again failed to come to a consensus regarding conduct of elections to the panchayat bodies. This time round, the divide relates to the phase-wise elections proposed by the State in various districts .
While the State Government had proposed that polls be carried out in three phases with nine districts in the first phase, and four each in the second and third phases, the SEC has reportedly expressed its displeasure at this suggestion.
The State poll body has cited law and order issues and mobilisation of security personnel across nine districts as the key reason.
State Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee did not respond to calls seeking comment .
A senior State Government official, however, said that the initial proposal for the first phase of the panchayat polls included nine South Bengal districts – Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Burdwan, Bankura, Purulia, East Midnapore and West Midnapore. The SEC seems to have raised questions over mobilising security personnel across these nine districts at one go. Put together, these districts are said to have 35,000-odd polling booths.
Calls made to Tapas Ray, Secretary, SEC, too went unanswered.
Change in Dates
Meanwhile, State Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee, along with other senior officials, met with the Election Commissioner Mira Pandey to inform about a possible change in dates.
Following objections from various political parties, as well as the commission, the three-phase panchayat polls will now be held on July 2, July 6 and July 9.
The third phase of the election was rescheduled by a day (from July 10) considering festivals.