SEC notifies first phase of WB panchayat poll

The West Bengal State Election Commission today issued notification for the first of the three-phase polls in the three-tier panchayat body, signalling an end to weeks-long discord with the Mamata Banerjee government over holding of the election.
The first phase election in nine districts will be held on July 2. The date for filing of nomination will start on May 29 and end on June 5. The last date for the scrutiny of nominations has been fixed for June 7 and that of withdrawal of papers on June 10.
The nine districts which will go to polls are North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, Howrah, Hooghly and Burdwan.

The SEC will later notify the poll schedule for the two other phases slated for July 6 and July 9.
The SEC and the West Bengal government had major disagreement over the timing and deployment of security forces during polling, with the poll panel finally moving the Calcutta High Court for its intervention in the prolonged dispute.