Bengal panchayat poll: SC stays Calcutta HC's order to allow e-nominations, election in 66% seats on May 14
New Delhi/Kolkata, May 10 (IBNS): The Supreme Court has stayed not only the Calcutta High Court's order of allowing e-nominations filed by the opposition parties, but also the uncontested win by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in 34% of the total seats, media reports said.
Expressing unhappiness, the top court has said the TMC candidates in those 34% seats can't be declared winners until the next hearing on Jul 3.
On the other hand, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to hold the panchayat poll, which has been delaying for days.
After the top court's stay order, the poll can be held only in 66% of the total seats.
According to media reports, the poll in those 66% seats will be held on May 14, which was earlier announced by the SEC.
Around 800 e-nominations were filed by the CPI-M, which alleged the ruling TMC to resort to violence to hinder the opposition parties from filing nominations.
Earlier this week, the Calcutta HC had directed the SEC to allow all e-nominations filed by the CPI-M, which moved the court.
Interacting with media, West Bengal minister and TMC principal secretary, Partha Chatterjee, said his party is ready to face the election on May 14.
He said: "As a party, we (TMC) are ready as per the direction of the court and the decision taken by the SEC. We are going to polls on May 14 as declared by the SEC."
"We are happy that people will be able to cast their vote," Chatterjee added.
Following the widespread pre-poll violence witnessed across the state, the TMC had won 34% of total seats uncontested.
The poll results will be out on May 17.
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