Mamata government mulling appeal against HC order

West Bengal Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim on Sunday said the Mamata Banerjee-led government was planning to appeal against a Calcutta High Court order, which rejected its plea on civic polls.

The division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Friday (May 15) rejected the West Bengal government's plea, which sought a modification of the high court's order issued on April 16.

The court's order had directed the state election commission to complete the election process in the next two months.

"We are discussing the issue with the legal experts and will take a decision about the future course of action. We are yet to get a copy of the court's order. We will take a decision accordingly," Firhad Hakim said.

Contending that it was not able to complete the process of converting the seven municipalities into corporations, the state government had sought extension for the deadline.

The seven civic bodies are Asansol Municipal Corporation, Kulti Municipality, Raniganj Municipality, Jamuria Municipality, Bidhannagar Municipality, Rajarhat-Gopalpur Municipality and Bally Municipality.

Elections to the 91 civic bodies in the state were held on April 25 and for Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on April 18.