TMC welcomes SC ruling on panchayat elections

Kolkata: The Opposition’s intention to postpone the upcoming election has been defeated, said the Trinamul Congress while welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision of staying the Calcutta HC order to the State Election Commission on nominations filed through email.

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Calcutta high court order asking the West Bengal SEC to accept nomination papers filed through email for contesting the panchayat elections in the state.

“The people of the state want to cast their votes. We have full faith on the people of the state. But the Opposition BJP, Left Front and the Congress were afraid of facing the election as they knew that they don’t have the mass support,” TMC party secretary general Partha Chatterjee told to reporters here.

He alleged that the three opposition parties have ganged up against the ruling TMC in order to stop the developmental work in the state.

Talking about the SC’s bar on declaration of unopposed candidates as winners, Chatterjee said the matter will be heard again on July 3.

“The tenure of this Panchayat ends in August. So there is nothing to worry about. We will abide by the court order,” he said.

The Calcutta high court earlier in the day expressed hope that the panchayat elections in West Bengal, whenever it is held, will be free, fair and peaceful, and left it to the government and State Election Commission to decide on security requirements.