West Bengal Panchayat Elections 2018 Dates: Single-Phase Polls to be Held on May 14, Results on May 17
The panchayat polls in West Bengal witness a contest in a total of 825 seats across 20 zilla parishads, along with 9,217 seats in 341 panchayat samitis and 48,650 seats in 3,358 gram panchayats.
Kolkata, April 26: The state-wide panchayat polls in West Bengal will be held on May 14, said the notification issued by the State Election Commission. The results will be declared on May 17, the SEC added.
The rural elections, to be conducted in 20 districts of Bengal, were earlier scheduled to be held in three phases on May 1, 3 and 5. The Calcutta High Court, however, asked the SEC to reschedule the polls citing the alleged violence used by the ruling party cadres to prevent the Opposition candidates from filing the nominations.
The court, while hearing a petition filed by the BJP, was presented with evidence which suggested the use of violence by political workers to conduct an atmosphere which was not conducive for free and fair elections.
"The court's order should be considered as a reprimand for the Mamata Banerjee government. They have tied up with all the unruly elements of the society to ensure democracy is scuttled," BJP leader Chandra Bose had said.
Earlier in the day, the state government had written to the SEC, seeking the elections to be conducted in a single-phase on May 14, followed by the results to be declared on May 16.
The panchayat polls in West Bengal witness a contest in a total of 825 seats across 20 zilla parishads, along with 9,217 seats in 341 panchayat samitis and 48,650 seats in 3,358 gram panchayats.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 26, 2018 07:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).