West Bengal Panchayat elections: Ban on assembly, SEC calls all-party meeting

In view of the unbridled violence in the state, the state election commission (SEC) has scheduled an all-party meeting on Tuesday to address the prevailing law and order situation and hear complaints regarding the panchayat elections. Newly appointed SEC Rajiv Sinha will chair the meeting, news agency PTI informed of.

West Bengal Panchayat Elections: Incidents of violence

Incidents of violence by unidentified miscreants were reported from Daspur (West Medinipur), Kakdwip (South 24 Parganas), Raninagar (Murshidabad), Shaktinagar and Barshul (both in East Bardhaman) and Minakhan (North 24 Parganas).

On 9 June, a Congress worker was killed in Murshidabad when a group of unidentified miscreants shot at him and two others in Ratanpur Naldeep. Congress West Bengal chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury termed it as ‘murder’ by the ruling TMC.

As per reports, CPI(M) candidates in Barsul in erstwhile Bardhaman district were stopped from filing nomination papers allegedly by members of the ruling party. The Indian Express, On this both the groups pelted stones at each other. Three policemen were injured in the clash, but the situation was brought under control after the RAF was involved.

CPI(M) candidates were also allegedly attacked by TMC workers at Minakhan in North 24 Parganas district. After gheraoing the CPI(M) party office, TMC workers attacked them, injuring several CPI(M) workers.

BJP candidates were allegedly stopped from filing nomination papers in Jamuria area of Paschim Bardhaman.

The Congress also claimed that its candidates in Bhangar-II block of South 24 Parganas district and Kakdwip in the same district were prevented from filing nominations.

During this, BJP MP Locket Chatterjee Due to the imposition of prohibitory orders, the police had stopped them from entering the BDO office.

West Bengal: Section 144 imposed near enrollment centers

Following incidents of violence, the SEC has directed all District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police to enforce prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC within 1 kilometer radius of all enrollment centers for Panchayat elections. The SEC has said that only two persons can go inside the enrollment center for filing nomination papers.

This order will be effective till Thursday, June 15.

Calcutta High Court asks SEC, can elections be postponed?

A petition was filed in the Calcutta High Court regarding the violence that took place during the filing of nomination papers of candidates. Calcutta HC asks SEC whether west bengal panchayat election Can be postponed to facilitate easy filing of nominations by the candidates.

The SEC told the Calcutta High Court on Monday that it may extend the last date for filing nominations for the panchayat polls by a day to June 16. State Election Commissioner Rajiv Sinha had earlier said that the polls would be held in a single phase and candidates could file their nominations from Friday till June 15.

West Bengal Panchayat Elections: TMC vs BJP vs CPI(M)

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the opposition parties of forming an “unholy alliance” to delay the election and tarnish the image of the state fearing defeat.

On the other hand, the opposition BJP, Congress and CPI(M) alleged that their candidates were prevented from submitting nomination papers by TMC workers in various districts and argued that without the deployment of central forces, it is impossible to be peaceful and peaceful. fair elections in the state