Calcutta HC stays Panchayat election process in Bengal, imposes Rs 5 lakh fine on BJP

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court stayed the election procedure for the Panchayat election in West Bengal till further order. The court has directed the State Election Commission to submit a status report on the process and other facts related to the election before April 16 on which the court will take its final call. Till April 16, all procedures related to the election including the scrutiny and withdrawal of candidature would remain suspended.

The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on Bharatiya Janta Party for suppressing facts in its petition regarding Panchayat election.

Both Congress and BJP moved court seeking legal intervention in the Panchayat election process. While BJP moved the Supreme Court, Congress filed petitions in the Calcutta High Court. The SC, however referred the case to the HC and said that it will not intervene in the election process.


PCC chief Adhir Choudhury said that his party never asked for a suspension of the process, but appealed to the court to direct the police and administration to allow nomination filing by all willing candidates. BJP leader Mukul Roy called the order as the 'moral victory' of BJP and that his party has dedicated the victory to the people of Bengal.

TMC MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee said that the court has also fined BJP and it is now established that the party spread false propaganda.