BJP takes Trinamool to court

The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday has accused the Trinamool Congress of trying to “throttle and murder democracy” by unleashing violence against BJP candidates and trying to sabotage their nominations for the upcoming panchayat polls in the State.

In turn, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, for the West Bengal government, said the BJP had filed more nominations than the Trinamool in certain constituencies.

“We are very big fools... We [Trinamool] and not them [BJP] should have filed this petition before the Supreme Court,” Mr. Singhvi countered before a Bench of Justices R.K. Agrawal and A.M. Sapre.

The BJP, represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, argued that Block Development Officers, appointed as Assistant Panchayat Electoral Registration Officers by the West Bengal State Election Commission, were refusing to give nomination forms to BJP candidates.

The panchayat elections will be held on May 1, 3 and 5. The counting is on May 8.The last date of filing nominations is April 9. The last date of scrutiny of the nominations is April 11.

To this, Mr. Singhvi said such “blanket pleadings” are unbelievable. “Name the block officers, to whom was nomination denied... There is is no name, no date, nothing in your petition,” he contended.

He said the BJP should have either gone to the Election Commission or filed an election petition after the elections, instead of coming straight to the apex court.

Mr. Rohatgi said the Calcutta High Court was “paralysed” by an ongoing strike because the strength of the High Court had been reduced to one-third. This had forced the BJP to approach the apex court.

Mr. Rohatgi said the nomination forms should be made available online.

“This is a troubled State... This is a question of democracy. I have a right to come directly to this court. I cannot be shown the door by the Supreme Court when democracy is being murdered,” Mr. Rohatgi said when the Bench asked him to approach the High Court.

“Elections are the life-blood of democracy and free and fair elections are imperative to give effect to the voice of the people,” the BJP petition said.

The court reserved the case for pronouncing final orders on April 9.