Kolkata:
The West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) today moved the Supreme Court on the panchayat poll imbroglio in the state, posing a huge question mark over whether the elections will be held as per the existing schedule.
"We are challenging all the orders of the Calcutta High Court," said SEC counsel Samaraditya Pal. The top court today issued a notice to both Centre and state and asked if they can meet the requirement of security forces to conduct the election. It then posted the matter for hearing on Friday.
Meanwhile, in the High Court, Chief Justice Arun Mishra said, "I am very happy that the State Election Commission has gone to the Supreme Court. At least we will have a verdict, I am fed up of this case."
Justice Mishra, however, added that the poll panel should have informed the High Court of its decision. "I am shocked, enough is enough," he said.
The SEC sources said what was being suggested by the High Court was "impractical" and therefore they were forced to go to the top court.
As of now, the polls are to be held in three phases on July 2, 6 and 9; counting will be held on the 13th.
But over the last two days, after the Centre refused to give any paramilitary forces and after the Mamata Banerjee government confirming that it had received no response from other states for forces, the court had suggested that the polls be held in five phases instead of three.
In response, the West Bengal government yesterday suggested four phase polls instead of three or five. The SEC has been consistently saying that unless the govt gave it in writing how much force it could deploy, it was unable to hold free and fair elections.
The Mamata Banerjee government and the SEC have been at loggerheads over availability of security forces to conduct the elections.
The SEC wanted 1.49 lakh troops. The state is believed to have barely 50,000 security forces.
"We are challenging all the orders of the Calcutta High Court," said SEC counsel Samaraditya Pal. The top court today issued a notice to both Centre and state and asked if they can meet the requirement of security forces to conduct the election. It then posted the matter for hearing on Friday.
Meanwhile, in the High Court, Chief Justice Arun Mishra said, "I am very happy that the State Election Commission has gone to the Supreme Court. At least we will have a verdict, I am fed up of this case."
Justice Mishra, however, added that the poll panel should have informed the High Court of its decision. "I am shocked, enough is enough," he said.
The SEC sources said what was being suggested by the High Court was "impractical" and therefore they were forced to go to the top court.
As of now, the polls are to be held in three phases on July 2, 6 and 9; counting will be held on the 13th.
But over the last two days, after the Centre refused to give any paramilitary forces and after the Mamata Banerjee government confirming that it had received no response from other states for forces, the court had suggested that the polls be held in five phases instead of three.
In response, the West Bengal government yesterday suggested four phase polls instead of three or five. The SEC has been consistently saying that unless the govt gave it in writing how much force it could deploy, it was unable to hold free and fair elections.
The Mamata Banerjee government and the SEC have been at loggerheads over availability of security forces to conduct the elections.
The SEC wanted 1.49 lakh troops. The state is believed to have barely 50,000 security forces.
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