WB govt tells Cal HC of constitutional crisis

The West Bengal government today told the Calcutta High Court that there would be a constitutional crisis if the panchayat election process was not completed by June 10 when the tenure of the grassroot organisations in the state would end.
Appearing before Justice Biswanath Somadder during the hearing of the petition by the State Election Commission (SEC) seeking cancellation of election dates announced by the government, Advocate General Bimal Chatterjee prayed that the court direct the SEC to complete the process by June 10.
The AG also submitted a letter by the Director General of West Bengal Police, clarifying that the abbreviation CAPF stood for Central Armed Police Force.

Justice Somadder had at the last hearing sought the clarification.
The court then asked the AG why the state was averse to central forces when it was saying that it might bring in police forces from neighbouring states if necessary for the polls.
The AG submitted that he would have to take instructions from the government on the court's query, while holding that at this stage there was no necessity for forces from other states for holding the polls.

The SEC has been adamant on its demand for 800 companies of central paramilitary force, while the state has contended that it had enough forces to hold the polls and if necessary, forces from neighbouring states would be brought.

The SEC had moved the high court challenging a notification for the elections by the state government.
The matter would be heard again on Thursday.