West Bengal Panchayat Poll Nominations: What's New in 2023 Compared to 2018?

Chief justice (CJ) T S Sivagnanam of the Calcutta High Court (HC), during the hearing on the petitions of Opposition leaders for extension of date for filing nominations and deployment of central forces for the West Bengal panchayat elections on July 8, on Monday said that “prevention is better than cure”.

West Bengal’s State Election Commission (SEC) told the Calcutta High Court that it can extend the last date for nominations filing for the panchayat polls by one day, which would, however, lead to the rescheduling of the polls.

Here’s a comparison between the 2018 and 2023 panchayat polls:

• In 2018: The polls were held on one day on May 14. The SEC had first announced the polling would be held in three phases on May 1, 2 and 5. However, the decision was challenged as more than 20,000 seats remained uncontested.Seven days, from April 2-9, were given for filing nominations.The polls saw violence, amid low-intensity bomb attack, booth capturing, ballot boxes set on fire, vandalism and attacks on journalists.
• In 2023: So far, the decided date for polls is July 8. The filing of nominations will be held between June 9 and June 15.Six days have been given for filing nominations.

THE ARGUMENTS ON MONDAY

Questioning the state’s objection to granting an extension for filing nominations, the CJ said: “In 2018, the commission gave seven clear days. The commission is empowered to push back by one day.”

The state, however, argued that the nomination papers were available since the notifications were issued.

“What happened in 2018? The last date of filing nominations was seven days after the notification was issued,” the court said.

The state responded that in 2018, there were public holidays between April 2 and 9 and so seven days were given.

“If you can maintain the same schedule as 2018… Pushback at starting point…That was 2nd April and 9th April nominations began…there were seven days then and here it is six days,” the court said.

The court has reserved its order for Tuesday.

Barring the days for nomination, nothing has changed between 2018 and 2023. The war of words and the violence on ground, from Minakhan to Chopra, and Sandeshkhali to Bankura, are on.

Will the court reschedule the polls as they have suggested to have the nominations from June 15 to 21 and polling on July 14? Or will the court will accept the SEC proposal of extending filing of nominations by one more day?