West Bengal panchayat polls: SEC calls for Section 144 1km around nomination centres

BANKURA/KOLKATA: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Sunday asked all district magistrates and police superintendents to impose prohibitory orders in a 1km radius of all panchayat poll nomination centres. The nominations will resume from Monday and are set to be completed by Thursday.
The state poll body in an order on Sunday said to maintain "law and order" and to "conduct the nominations smoothly", Section 144 CrPC had to be promulgated in "areas within one kilometer of the nomination centres" till the nomination process ended. The SEC also said only two persons, the candidate and their proposers, or anyone on their behalf, could step inside the venue.
Police in several parts of Bengal conducted route marches as confidence-building measures. The state election commission has already ordered videography of nominations from Monday.
Of the total 11,128 nominations filed across Bengal panchayats, panchayat samitis and zilla parishads, BJP and Congress lead with 4,903 and 4,229, respectively. Trinamool Congress has filed 633 nominations and Congress 717. Trinamool nominations are largely expected from Monday.
Calcutta High Court has called for the response of the SEC in the form of a report on June 12 over ways to ensure free and fair panchayat polls, scheduled for July 8. State election commissioner Rajiva Sinha will be holding a meeting with poll observers on June 12. The SEC has also called for an all-party meeting on June 13 following complaints from political parties.
Trinamool and BJP sparred over nomination filing. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that while opposition candidates were being made to wait in long queues to collect and file their documents, Trinamool Congress was getting these "home delivered". TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh refuted this, saying the nominations filed by BJP suggested otherwise. Ghosh dubbed Adhikari's statement baseless speculation.
Sharing a video on Twitter, Adhikari alleged that a Bankura TMC leader was "collecting unlimited Nomination Papers & DCRs from the Saltora BDO Office; Bankura District, facilitating 'Home Delivery' of the Nomination Papers for the TMC Candidates". "On page 13 of the "Handbook for Returning Officers" (Panchayat Election) issued by the West Bengal State Election Commission; it is clearly mentioned that - Not more than 4 Nomination Papers should be given to any person. Why are these rules framed in the first place if they are not meant to be followed?" he said.
Ghosh replied: "Accusations made by Suvendu Adhikari against BDO offices stalling nomination process for Bengal BJP candidates lacks credibility. According to news sources, BJP, on the first day, filed 677 candidate nominations (Gram Panchayat: 568; Panchayat Samiti: 95; Zilla Parishad: 14) which demonstrates their active engagement in the process. The number speaks for itself. But Mr. Adhikari's conspiratorial disposition continues to overshadow his commitment to the truth. Let's rise above baseless speculations and focus on facts for a more constructive discourse."