Bengal govt, Election Commission likely to meet tomorrow

A day after the Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal government and the State Election Commission to mutually decide on dates for the panchayat election, a move has been initiated by both to hold a meeting tomorrow.

The meeting will take place amidst a deadline set by the high court to complete the poll process by July 15.

SEC secretary Tapas Roy told PTI that the meeting would be held at its office where issues relating to holding the panchayat election would be discussed as per the high court directions.

Refusing to elaborate further, Roy said that SEC commissioner Mira Pandey had already communicated with the state government in this regard.

Officials said that the meeting would be attended by state chief secretary, home secretary and panchayat secretary, besides SEC commissioner Mira Pandey and SEC secretary Tapas Roy.

Minister slams SEC for listing poll booths as per sensitivity
West Bengal Panchayat minister Subrata Mukherjee today questioned the authority the State Election Commission on preparing a list of booths for panchayat elections based on their relative sensitivity and said the government would draw a fresh list.

The SEC had announced that it was preparing a list of polling booths according to the nature of their sensitivity and categorising them as general, sensitive, and hypersensitive.

"What authority the SEC enjoys in preparing such lists when an elected government in there in the state?" Mukherjee wanted to know.

Taking exception to the reported preparation of such a list by the SEC, the minister said, "I have come to know that the SEC has made such lists on the basis of deliberation at a meeting with superintendents of police and district magistrates on March 16, and the lists were faulty." Before undertaking such a move, the SEC should have consulted the state government, he said.