West Bengal panchayat polls: Congress, BJP workers clash outside EC office after poll panel refuses to extend nomination deadline

The controversy around the West Bengal Panchayat polls refuses to die down. A day after Opposition parties complained of violence by the ruling Trinamool Congress workers, Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress cadres clashed outside the West Bengal State Election Commission’s office, after which the police detained them. According to CNN-News18, BJP workers reached the Election Commission office in Kolkata after the panel decided to revoke a notification extending the deadline for filing nominations. The Congress workers too joined in the protests, but later clashes broke out.

#LIVE – High drama at EC office in West Bengal. Police detain BJP and Congress workers over clashes pic.twitter.com/oGYEb9GB5D

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The state Election Commission said that there was no specific direction by the apex court for an extension of the nomination date. “It appears that there was no specific direction by the Supreme Court of India for extension of the nomination date. Therefore on perusal of all the papers and considering all the points, the Commission hereby recalls the said order and therefore rescinds the (previous) order,” said the new notification issued by the SEC. The poll panel had extended the deadline after Opposition parties approached it after the apex court refused to interfere in the matter. Both BJP and Congress have alleged that the TMC cadres, enjoying immunity under their party’s rule, are resorting to violence to prevent Opposition candidates from filing nominations. The parties claimed that at several seats, TMC candidates would be elected unopposed because they thwarted other candidates  from filing papers. [caption id=“attachment_2671608” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] Though the last day for filing nominations for the rural polls slated for 1, 3 and 5 May was till Monday, the state Election Commission had extended it till 3 pm on Tuesday on complaints that the opposition candidates had been prevented from filing papers. Meanwhile, the TMC has kept mum on the issue of rollback of Election Commission’s order. However, CNN-News18 reported that soon after the poll panel announced the move TMC cadres took out a bike rally in parts of state flaunting weapons in an apparent show of strength. According to the new notification, the state Election Commissioner received two letters, one from the special secretary of the state government and another one from the Trinamool Congress, citing legal infirmities in the previous order of the commission, following which the extension on deadline was revoked. The BJP moved Supreme Court hours after the poll panel rolled back the extension in deadline and the court has agreed to hear the plea on Wednesday. “They (State Election Commission) have extended the deadline for filing the nominations by one day, but on Tuesday they have recalled the order under pressure from the ruling Trinamool Congress,” advocate Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the BJP, said. The top court had on Monday refused to interfere with the poll process, saying that with the 2 April notification of the State Election Commission, the poll election process had been set in motion. The apex court had, however, said if any grievances were raised by any political party or any candidate in writing, then the SEC would ensure disposal of such grievance strictly in accordance with the law forthwith. With inputs from agencies