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 adding that the government would prepare a fresh list of booths shortly.
