Bengal Panchayat polls: Calcutta HC directs State Election Commission to accept nominations filed through email

While hearing a petition filed by the CPI-M to validate nominations submitted through email, a division bench of Justice Biswanath Samaddar and Justice Arindam Mukherjee ordered the Election Commission to accept the applications of CPI-M candidates, who emailed their nominations properly before 3 pm on Apr 23.

The division bench also observed that practice of e-nomination filing could avoid violence, loss of lives and allegations, which were witnessed across the state during nomination filing for Panchayat election.

The court also observed that if candidates were not able to file nomination to take part in the election, it was contrary to democratic rights.

The two-judge division bench also said that people should get options to choose from.

Earlier, the Calcutta High Court had directed the election commission to accept the nominations of a few independent candidates from Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, who filed their nominations for Panchayat polls through Whatsapp.

Meanwhile, another petition filed by opposition parties questioning state's security arrangements for Panchayat election is likely to be heard in the division bench of Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice on Tuesday while the court will also decide the final date(s) to conduct Panchayat polls in the state.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)