The meeting between the West Bengal Government and the State Election Commission (SEC) over the issue of fixing dates for the three-phased Panchayat polls in the State remained inconclusive.

The three proposed dates for the elections, according to a senior SEC official, are July 2, July 6 and July 10.

The over two-hour long meeting was attended by the State Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and senior officials of the SEC, including its commissioner Mira Pandey. Following a Calcutta High Court order on May 14, the State Government was asked to announce the poll dates in consultation with the SEC. Poll processes have to be completed within July 15, the order stated.

According to an official present at the meeting, the State Government and SEC is said to have disagreed on most points relating to date of elections, schedule for polls in different districts, deployment of armed police personnel and also the sensitivity of booths.

Even the issue of appointment of observers for the polls said to have been a bone of contention. Government was looking to have 78 observers.

Government representatives seem to have preferred that the polls be held in five North Bengal districts along with two South Bengal districts of Murshidabad and Birbhum. The second phase should have polls in the Maoist-affected districts – loosely called Jangalmahal – of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura along with some other ones like Howrah and Nadia. Remaining seven South Bengal districts were to go into polls in the third phase.

“There was a meeting and we proposed three dates – July 2, July 6 and July 10 for the polls,” Tapas Ray Secretary, State Election Commission told Business Line . He, however, did not divulge details of the meeting.

The SEC has called for an all-party meeting tomorrow and a likely meeting with district authorities on Saturday and Sunday.

Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee, however, maintained that the State Government has yet to finalise the dates for the elections. “We have not finalised the dates yet. I will make an announcement in this regard tomorrow,” Mukherjee told Business Line .

Likely Solution

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports suggest the State was willing to accede to the SEC’s demand of having polls on July 2, July 6 And July 10.

It is however, not clear as to what would be the schedule of the districts where the polls would be held.

Leader of Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra, however, blamed the government for the on-going impasse with the SEC. “It seems that there is no consensus between the two. The government is to be blamed for this fiasco,” he told reporters.

abhishek.l@thehindu.co.in

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