Bengal poll panel has failed to ensure fair polls: Left Front

The Left Front Tuesday accused West Bengal's State Election Commission (SEC) of failing to implement security measures for the upcoming panchayat (rural body) polls as directed by the Calcutta High Court.

Left parties will hold demonstrations outside of the office of commission demanding adequate security for the polls.

"The SEC has failed to implement the court's order on security issues regarding the panchayat election," said Left Front chairman Biman Bose here after a delegation met Chief Election Commissioner Mira Pande to discuss security measures for the July 2, 6 and 9 panchayat polls.

Following a legal battle between the SEC and the Mamata Banerjee regime, the court had directed the state government to ensure adequate security measures for the polls.

Bose also blamed the state government for its "failure to take police and civil administrative measures required to be taken in light of the panchayat elections".

Observing that law and order situation in the state had completely broken down, he accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of "establishing anarchy in the state to prevent an inevitable defeat".

"It is our job to convey the information to the appropriate authorities and it is the job of SEC and the state government to look into the matter and take action," said Bose adding that the Front will file a deputation to Governor M.K. Narayanan seeking his intervention.

Incidentally, of the 36,000 seats of the nine districts that go to polls in the first phase July 2, the Trinamool has won over about 5,500 seats (about 15 percent of the total seats) uncontested with the process of filing, scrutiny and withdrawal of nominations, completed.