Election Commission of India (EC) has rejected West Bengal government's appeal for postponement of the voter list updation work until the panchyat election in the state. This may hit Trinamool government's plan to advance the election in the state to next January instead of scheduled time in May 2013.
In a letter to the election commission, West Bengal chief secretary Samar Ghosh had requested it to postpone the work of updating the voter list, which was scheduled to be carried out between October 1, 2012 and January 15, 2013.
However, in a response to state's appeal, Election Commission has said the updation work could not be postponed as it was being carried in other states as well.
The local administration in the state would be busy with the upadation work till January and it will be difficult for the administration to carry out preparation for panchyat poll simultaneously.
However, state government is yet to respond to the Election commission's reply.
Earlier, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had announced in a public meeting that pachayat poll would take place earlier than the scheduled time.
Incidentally, both Left and Congress had requested the election commission to hold the panchyat poll at the scheduled time.
The last panchayat elections were held on 11-18 May, 2008.
