High no of uncontested wins a matter of concern: SEC

Nearly 15 per cent of candidates, the highest in any grassroots poll in the state, have won uncontested in the first phase of the panchayat poll in West Bengal with the State Election Commission today terming it as a 'matter of concern'.
State Election Commission Secretary Tapas Roy said the number of uncontested wins in Hooghly, Burdwan, Bankura and West Midnapore districts were a matter of concern and the commission was looking into it.
"The number of uncontested wins is the highest ever in any panchayat election. Uncontested wins in over 7000 seats in the 2003 panchayat election was the highest so far," he said.

To a question, Roy did not rule out going to court again on the issue of forces required to conduct the panchayat poll, but he said that no decision has been taken as yet.
"It will be better if the Centre agrees to give Central Para-Military Forces for the panchayat polls," he said.
Roy said that out of 514 Zilla Parishad seats, candidates in eight seats won uncontested. Of them six candidates were in Hooghly and two in South 24 Parganas districts.
Out of 5792 Panchayat Samiti seats, candidates in 732 seats won uncontested with the highest number of 217 in Hooghly and zero in Purulia.

Out of 30,486 Gram Panchayat seats, candidates in 4,519 won uncontested, with the highest of 1221 in Hooghly and the lowest of two in Purulia district, he said.