Nomination disappearance case: Justice Amrita Sinha questions if WBSEC still exists

Kolkata: During the hearing of a case of alleged disappearance of nominations from the website of the state election body, Justice Amrita Sinha of Calcutta High Court on Thursday sought a report from the West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC) and questioned whether the panchayat polls in the state will at all be taking place and if the state election commissioner (SEC) Rajiva Sinha is still continuing in his position

It is learnt that Justice Sinha was hearing a case where certain Indian Secular Front (ISF) candidates have alleged that about 80 to 81 nominations that were showing on the WBSEC website till June 19, suddenly disappeared on June 20. They are confused as to whether these nominations have been accepted or rejected.

Justice Sinha asked what is happening in the name of the election and asked if the election is happening at all. She questioned whether the state election body is serious about conducting a poll and if the SEC Rajiva Sinha is still in his post.

She enquired that going by the present developments, will it be at all possible to hold the elections according to the schedule published by the election body. She asked for a report from the WBSEC, saying the poll body doesn’t seem to be taking the elections seriously.

Her reaction comes in the wake of a barrage of cases being filed over nomination filing. In the ISF case, she questioned how the names of the candidates could disappear if the nominations were filed according to the rules. Is the WBSEC still existing, she questioned.