Elections to more than 107 civic bodies could not be held earlier this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.A BJP delegation led by Joy Prakash Majumdar on Thursday visited the West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC) and urged it to conduct the pending civic body elections.
Elections to more than 107 civic bodies could not be held earlier this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a temporary measure, the state government appointed administrators to run the municipalities and corporations even after the tenure of the civic bodies’ leaders expired.
“There are more than 107 municipalities and corporations where elections are due. In many cases elections are due more than a year. In lieu of elected bodies, the local bodies are now run by administrators appointed by the state government. The Honourable Supreme Court in its order dated September 22 has sought your opinion on how soon the pending elections can be conducted. Earlier, the honourable High Court of Calcutta had also opined that the pending elections should be held as soon as possible,” read the letter the BJP submitted to the state election commissioner.
It added in the deputation, “It is to be noted that the appointment of administrators in lieu of conducting elections is supposed to be done in extreme conditions (like a situation where conducting free and fair election is not possible) and that too should not be more than six months. It has been mandated in Article 243U of the Constitution of India. Therefore you being the constitutional authority to protect the democratic rights of people, we request you to act strongly to carry out your constitutional obligations of conducting free and fair elections without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”
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