HC orders West Bengal EC to announce new date for nomination

Kolkata, April 20: The Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered the West Bengal State Election Commission to make a fresh announcement extending the deadline for filing of nominations for the coming panchayat polls and finalise a new election schedule.

A single judge bench of Justice Subrata Talukdar, quashing the SEC's April 10 order that had cancelled the extension for filing nomination which the state poll panel announced on the night of April 9, directed it to issue a fresh deadline extending the time for filing nominations in consultation with the state government and important stakeholders.

In his 35-page order, the judge said the commission would then reschedule the other dates for the election process as per the rules and conduct the polls.

As the rules provide for 21 days time between the last date of nomination and the first day of polling, the original polling dates of May 1, 3 and 5 would change, as per the court order.