HC tells state govt to ensure adequate security for polls
3 Jun 2013 11:44 PM GMT
In an interim order, the Calcutta high court has ruled on Monday that a glitch-free nomination process for the panchayat polls in West Bengal must be ensured by the state government. It has also said that the state government should ensure adequate security arrangements for conducting the panchayat polls peacefully. However, it was not clear what quantum of security forces was required from the order.
The state election commission, which has been battling it out with the state government over panchayat poll modalities, apparently wants 300 companies of armed police posted during the nomination process. It also wants a full list of election supervisors from the state government.
The SEC is apparently worried about candidates being stopped from filing their nomination papers. ‘There is no such news with us. We are following the court’s orders to its last letter’, said state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee. State election commissioner Meera Pandey however said that there were some complaints regarding filing nominations in the districts. ‘We are taking adequate action’, said Pandey.
Another court hearing on the deployment of security forces is scheduled on Tuesday. Meanwhile, district magistrates are getting ready to conduct the polls on the basis of the schedule on 2, 6 and 9 July. The poll panel has held a series of meetings with law enforcement authorities and political parties in the past few days.
Pandey had also discussed requirement of security forces and arrangement for the polls as per its discussion with the state government, with Governor MK Narayanan.
The state election commission, which has been battling it out with the state government over panchayat poll modalities, apparently wants 300 companies of armed police posted during the nomination process. It also wants a full list of election supervisors from the state government.
The SEC is apparently worried about candidates being stopped from filing their nomination papers. ‘There is no such news with us. We are following the court’s orders to its last letter’, said state panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee. State election commissioner Meera Pandey however said that there were some complaints regarding filing nominations in the districts. ‘We are taking adequate action’, said Pandey.
Another court hearing on the deployment of security forces is scheduled on Tuesday. Meanwhile, district magistrates are getting ready to conduct the polls on the basis of the schedule on 2, 6 and 9 July. The poll panel has held a series of meetings with law enforcement authorities and political parties in the past few days.
Pandey had also discussed requirement of security forces and arrangement for the polls as per its discussion with the state government, with Governor MK Narayanan.
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