Bengal panchayat polls: SEC withdraws extended deadline

In a U-turn, the West Bengal State Election Commission today withdrew the extended deadline for filing nominations for next month's panchayat elections even as the opposition parties alleged that it buckled under pressure from the ruling Trinamool Congress.

State Election Commissioner A K Singh cancelled the poll panel's order yesterday which had extended the deadline for filing nominations by a day till today, sources in the commission said.

Opposition parties -- the BJP, the CPI (M) and the Congress -- alleged that the SEC was forced by the TMC to cancel its order extending the deadline.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court agreed to hear tomorrow a plea of the BJP against the SEC decision to recall its order.

The West Bengal unit of the BJP moved the apex court hours after the state poll panel recalled its yesterday's decision.

The Calcutta High Court also passed an interim stay on the SEC's order.

State BJP leader Pratap Bandopadhyay moved the high court challenging the cancellation.

Justice Subrata Talukdar heard the petitioner and his opponent in his chamber, following resistance by lawyers in view of the ongoing ceasework.

Emerging from the judge's chamber, petitioner Bandopadhyay said the court has passed an interim injunction on SEC's cancellation of its yesterday's order and said the matter would be heard again on April 23.

All parties involved in the matter have been asked to file affidavits stating their position on the matter.

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, who appeared for the party, said though the court has passed a stay on the order, it has refused to interfere with the election process.

The new notification issued by the SEC said, "It appears that there was no specific direction by the Supreme Court of India for extension of the nomination date. Therefore on perusal of all the papers and considering all the points, the Commission hereby recalls the said order and therefore rescinds the (previous) order."