WB govt, SEC file counter applications over panchayat poll

The West Bengal government and the State Election Commission today moved counter applications before the Calcutta High Court in their ongoing legal battle over holding of panchayat election in the state.
The state government moved an application before the court of Justice Biswanath Somadder praying for a direction to the SEC that it notifies the dates of May five and May eight announced by the government.
The SEC in a counter application stated that the state government's announcement of dates under section 42 of the West Bengal Panchayat Election Act was unilateral and ultra vires to the Constitution.
The Commission also prayed for speedy disposal of its petition for the sake of holding the panchayat poll in time.

Both the applications are likely to be considered tomorrow.
The tenure of the elected panchayats in the state will end in early June.

At present, the petition of the SEC is being held on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The Commission had moved the high court seeking cancellation of dates - April 26 and April 30 - announced by the government earlier, claiming that it was unconstitutional.
Even as the hearing in the SEC's petition was on, the state informed the court that it had decided on new dates for the panchayat elections.