The Calcutta High Court on Thursday struck down the West Bengal government’s decision to withhold elections to seven municipal bodies in the State and directed that process of holding the polls in the civic bodies should be started in the next two months. Observers feel that Trinamool Congress (TMC) withheld elections in these civic bodies, while it holds elections in 91 civic bodies, as the party apprehends stiff competition in these municipal bodies.
A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also held in its order the primacy of the West Bengal State Election Commission in fixing dates of polls in the State.
While 91 civic bodies, including Kolkata Municipal Corporation, will go to polls this month, the government has decided to withhold polls in Raniganj, Jamuria, Asansol, Kulti, Bidhananagar, Rajarhat-Gopalpur and Bally. These are all municipalities. The government wants to convert them to Municipal Corporations before going to polls, as it may give the ruling party an edge. The State government had argued that it will bring these municipalities under the purview of a municipal corporation so the polls are being delayed. The High Court decision came in response to a PIL filled in March this year which had challenged the government’s decision.
