West Bengal Panchayat elections to be three phased commencing from May 1

NewsBharati    01-Apr-2018
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Kolkata, April 1: Teaming up for the upcoming panchayat elections, the West Bengal state election commission on Saturday announced three phased panchayat elections in the state on 1, 3 and 5 May. The votes will be counted on May 8. The panchayat election dons significance as it is the last major poll in the state before the general elections next year.
 
State Election Commissioner (SEC) A. K. Singh informed that the southern and the western districts of the state will hail pollings on May 1. Polling session of other two districts like Birbhum and Murshidabad will be on May 3. Pollings session of northern district will be held on May 5.

Notification for the election will be issued today itself, while the last date for filing nominations is 9 April. The date of scrutiny of papers is 11 April and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 16 April, adding the election process will have to be completed by 15 May.

A.K. Singh said that the model code of conduct coming into force entails new schemes for panchayat areas which cannot be announced. Neither can foundation stones for any new projects be laid in these areas. Ongoing projects can, however, continue, he said.

“In case of natural disasters, permission for starting new work or distribution of materials will be taken up by district authorities or from the State Election Commission. “No minister or ministry-ranked officials can use pilot car with or without beacon light unless there is security threat assessed by appropriate police officers,” Singh said.

An estimated 5.08 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise for elections to gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zilla parishads.

Elections will be held in 48,751 seats in 3,358 gram panchayats, 9,240 seats in 341 panchayat samitis and 825 seats in 20 zilla parishads. There will be total 57233 booths spread across the 20 districts.

The last panchayat election in the state in 2013 was held in July. Though chief minister Mamata Banerjee had previously said the elections are to be held in April-May, she had at a recent administrative review meeting said panchayat elections are to be concluded by August.