Minister dismisses attack allegation during nomination filing

Dismissing the allegation that opposition candidates were being attacked and obstructed by ruling party workers from filing nominations for the panchayat poll, West Bengal panchayat minister today said that adequate security arrangement had been made to preclude such incidents.
"There is no need to take the plunge if an aspirant want to contest with police protection," Subrata Mukherjee, the panchayat minister, sarcastically said.
He said that the state Advocate-General had all the information on poll security arrangement and if the Calcutta Hight Court, where the government and the State Election Commission are fighting a bitter battle, wanted to know, he would pass the information.

"If there is any particular law and order problem, let it be told by the SEC specifically," the minister said.
Referring to the stand-off between the government and the SEC, Mukherjee said, "We are following the directions of the court in the matter to the letter and spirit".
The West Bengal government on May 29 sought 300 companies of central para-military forces for deployment during panchayat poll in the rural areas for 15 days from June 28.