Panel to meet parties on fresh poll dates

Sources said the panel took the decision after going through the court order asking it to allow an extra day for nominations and rework the poll schedule in consultation with the government.

On Saturday, the panel will meet the parties, including the Opposition, first to try and understand the problems they allegedly faced in trying to file nominations, followed by talks with the government, sources said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the government was keen to wrap up the process before the Ramazan month begins in mid-May.

The commission will announce the fresh dates after consulting the government. "If Monday is the last date for nominations, the first day of polls cannot be before May 15. In that case, there is a possibility of a one-day poll that day," said a source.

Sources initially said there could be a single-phase election to avoid voting during the holy month.

"We welcome the judgment. We want the elections as early as possible. We had planned to hold them in the first week of May as the temperature gets unbearable in the second week of May. Besides, we want the elections held before Ramazan," Mamata said on Friday evening.

Senior state officials said copies of the court order were received around 9.15pm on Friday. The first step in reworking the poll plan is to extend the nomination filing by a day in line with the ruling.