Calcutta High Court Sets Precedent, Allows Filing Of e-Nominations For Panchayat Polls
Image Courtesy: Live Mint
The Calcutta High Court on 8 May delivered a historic verdict that nominations filed via e-mail for contesting in the upcoming panchayat elections be treated as legitimate. The order was passed on an appeal filed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Through this order, the court not only set a precedent, but also acknowledged the fact of the prevailing lawlessness in West Bengal, especially after declaration of the panchayat elections.
Citing the Information Technology Act, the court directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to accept for scrutiny the e-nominations filed by all those intending candidates who had e-mailed their nominations within the extended deadline set by the Commission.
The order will benefit nearly 800 intending candidates — in the Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and the Zilla Parishad — who were unable to file nominations due to encroachment of the administration offices by hooligans of the ruling party, who beat up the opposition candidates.
CPI(M) leader and Central Committee member Rabin Deb welcomed the historic decision of the court. He said the verdict would have ramifications throughout the country.
Senior Advocate and CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said the verdict of the High Court shows that the court has accepted the fact of what the Opposition has been alleging — that there has been extreme lawlessness and violation of the constitutional framework in the state, especially in rural Bengal, which necessitated the filing of e-nominations.
High Court Expresses Dissatisfaction Over EC’s Security Arrangements
The High Court on 8 May also expressed displeasure over the lack of security arrangements made by the SEC and the inadequacy of police forces to monitor the panchayat elections, especially in view of the sensitive situation in rural Bengal.
In 2013, around 2.57 lakh police personnel, including a substantial number of personnel from the central forces, were present to man the booths. This time, however, only around 1.42 lakh police personnel would be present, and most of them belonging to unarmed forces.
“Are you yourself satisfied with the security arrangement?” said the division bench of the Calcutta High Court to the state’s Advocate General, who was representing the state government.
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