Calcutta HC issues directions for holding 3-phased panchayat polls in state

May 14, 2:34 PM Calcutta High Court today directed the holding of three phased Panchayat elections in West Bengal next month. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mr. Arun Mishra and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the West Bengal government to announce full notification within three days in consultation with the State Election Commission. The High Court also directed to complete the poll process by 15th of July this year. The Division bench in its ruling also directed deployment of armed police in each hyper sensitive and sensitive polling booths . The West Bengal government moved the Division bench seeking stay on the order passed by the single bench of the court Justice Vishwanath Sammadar on conduct of Panchayat polls.

Our Kolkata correspondent reports that earlier the State Election Commission moved the Calcutta High Court challenging arbitrary announcement of two phased Panchayat polls by the State Government without consulting them. State Panchayat Minster, Mr. Shubrato Mukherjee has welcomed the judgement of the Division bench.