Uncertainty prevails over the holding of panchayat polls in West Bengal as the State Government has disagreed with the Calcutta High Court’s suggestion on the election schedule.

Hearing the State Election Commission’s petition seeking the deployment of adequate security forces for conducting the elections, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday suggested that the polls could be held in five phases than the previously notified three-phase schedule.

According to the current notification, the elections are scheduled to be held on July 2, 6 and 9.

This, according to the court, is to ensure adequate security deployment during each phase of the rural polls as emphasised by the SEC.

“Let it (the panchayat polls) be held on July 2, 4, 6, 8, 9. Let the violence not take place,” Chief Justice Arun Mishra observed while hearing an application filed by the SEC alleging that the State Government failed to assure adequate security arrangements.

No more forces

The Court’s proposal came after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs conveyed that it would not be possible to provide any additional forces to the State for holding polls at such “short notice”.

According to the Chief Justice, “there is a shortfall of roughly 77,000 security personnel.”

However, the state government has proposed a four-phaseelection schedule. According to the state, the polls should be held on July 2, 4, 6, 9.

Samaraditya Pal, appearing on behalf of SEC, said that the proposal was “totally unrealistic” and talks between the State government officials and the Commission held earlier in the day “failed to reach a consensus”.

“We have not been told what (how much) forces are available and without that no phasing of the elections can be done,” Pal said.

ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in

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