There is uncertainty looming as to whether the pre-polls in Kolkata and Howrah would be held on 19 December at all. The state election commission has said it will not issue a pre-vote notice right now.
The lawyer representing the commission told the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday that a case was already pending over the vote. Therefore, the Commission will not issue any notification of voting during the proceedings.
The court directed the state and state election commissions to submit affidavits in this regard. The next hearing in the case is set for next Wednesday.
The BJP recently filed a case in the Calcutta High Court. There, they said, “Why the state government only wants to hold a referendum in Kolkata and Howrah? Why the rest of the municipalities will not vote now?”
A new legal complication has emerged as to whether it is possible to vote in the two municipalities at all on the 19 December because, the notification of voting is to be issued this month. However, in the court, the Election Commission’s lawyer made it clear that they would not issue a notification until the case was settled.
A total of 112 municipalities are to vote. The list also includes Kolkata and Howrah. But the state only approached the commission for votes in these two municipalities. The BJP strongly objected to that. The affidavit that the court asked the state and the commission on this day asked why voting was not being held in the remaining 110 municipalities. If so, when?
Lawyer Anindya Raut said, “I did not receive the order. So, I still can’t sayanything. However, I do not think there is any connection between the case and not being able to express the vote.”
BJP leader Joy Prakash Majumder said, “The state government is playing a boycott with the pre-vote. This was done during the Left period, when the power of the state government was greater than that of the Election Commission. The role of the state in deciding when to vote and who to vote for is unmatched by any other state in India.”
Majumdar added: “The state government was using force at will. There are so many votes left, year after year, but after so long there will be two places to vote. It doesn’t work. The sand was added once as desired. He also dropped it again. They will not abide by any rules, they will just sit and sign and then the majority in the assembly will pass the resolution.”
CPM leader Bikasharanjan Bhattacharya said, “From day one, we feared they would not vote. Nana will make excuses. Although he says he will vote. If you have to vote then why only Howrah and Kolkata, why not vote in the whole of West Bengal where the Purbord has expired for a long time? In fact, they are not interested. They don’t do anything honestly.”
