In Bengal, Poll Panel's Overnight Switch On Its Nomination Order

Kolkata: It is a rollback that is unusual to say the least. Yesterday, the West Bengal State Election Commission had extended the deadline for filing nominations for the panchayat polls to 3 pm today. But a short while ago, the Commission scrapped the order, apparently because the extension may lead to legal complications.

Trinamool lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee wrote to the State Election Commissioner, pointing out the legal aspect. This morning, the Commissioner, AK Singh, withdrew his order. "If a mistake has been made, that mistake has to be corrected. I raised objection by e-mail at 11.46 pm yesterday," Mr Banerjee has said.

But opposition leaders are slamming the rollback as a collapse of democracy, saying the Election Commissioner succumbed to pressure from the ruling party. The BJP has challenged the order in Supreme Court.

"It is amazing that the SEC has not resigned as yet. It is unlikely he will last till the end of the elections," said Dilip Ghosh, state chief of the BJP, adding, "He has been treated so badly, he had no option but to roll back his order.

"At least four Trinamool ministers visited the SEC's home this morning and put so much pressure on him, he rolled back the order," said CPM lawmaker Sujan Chakraborty. "The worst casualty is democracy."

BJP's national secretary Rahul Sinha said, "We will talk to the SEC, go to court if necessary. What is going on is loot. This cannot go on. Democracy is being murdered."

The Commission's extension order came yesterday after week-long violence in several districts of the state, where opposition leaders alleged that their candidates were allowed to file nominations  by the workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress.  The Supreme Court, which was approached by the state BJP, also asked that the State Election Commission ensures "fair and free" panchayat polls and take steps to address the concerns of the candidates.

A huge police force was put in place outside the office of the Election Commission this morning and traffic was diverted. The women's wing of the CPM held demonstrations on the road outside the office.

Till yesterday, the BJP estimated that it was able to file nominations to only 40 per cent of the state's 60,000 seats,  the Left put the figure at 25 per cent. In some places, the Trinamool candidates are already celebrating victory unopposed.   

In Birbhum, which saw some of the worst violence, several unidentified people - armed with swords, daggers and knives - gathered outside the administrative office, where nominations were to be filed from 11 this morning. But they dispersed apparently after the announcement of the roll back.