The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked the West Bengal Government to reply to the State Election Commission’s petition regarding security arrangement for panchayat polls by Friday.
The commission moved the High Court on Tuesday claiming that the State Government has failed to make arrangement for adequate security personnel for the upcoming three-phased rural polls.
The application was filed before a Division Bench of Chief Justice Arun Mishra and Joymalya Bagchi.
The State Government has also been asked to submit a report on its compliance to the court order on the same issue announced on June 13.
The counsel for the Commission drew the court’s attention that only 3,800 policemen were made available during nomination filing for the first phase of polls in nine districts scheduled on July 2. The Commission, however, asked the State to provide 31,000 security personnel for the same.