'What now' ache over poll schedule

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya and Pranesh Sarkar, TT, Apr 13, 2018, Calcutta: What now? That's the question doing the rounds in Nabanna and on 18 Rawdon Street since Calcutta High Court's "unprecedented" stay on the rural poll process on Thursday.

Both the government and the state election commission, located on Calcutta's Rawdon Street, pondered over possible outcomes when the court takes up the matter next on Monday.

As soon as word arrived that the court had stayed the poll process till Monday's hearing, questions were raised whether the polls could at all be held under the current schedule, with the first vote on May 1, because of the loss of time.

"Nobody knows for sure how this is going to pan out. This truly is unprecedented in Bengal. So advice is being sought from all quarters," said a source on Thursday evening.

The commission has conveyed the court's order to officials in the districts, stopped withdrawal of nominations and started preparing a report required to be submitted as an affidavit in the high court on Monday.

Sources said even if the court concluded on Monday that there was no problem with nominations and the rest of the election process could continue, the commission will still have to allow two more days for the withdrawal of nominations. That will reduce the campaign window to less than 14 days before the May 1 first vote.

According to the sources, a lot of vital election-related work that the commission was to undertake alongside withdrawal of nominations has had to be put on hold.

These include allocation of symbols to thousands of Independent candidates, printing ballot papers, mapping zones and booths vulnerable to trouble, planning deployment of forces, training polling personnel and requisitioning vehicles.

"Therefore, even if there is no further delay after Monday in court, the poll dates are likely to be deferred," said an official at Nabanna, the state secretariat.

Sources in Trinamul expressed hope that the polls could still be completed by the original deadline of May 15 - before the commencement of the Ramzan month.

"For the May 1, 3 and 5 polls, counting was scheduled on May 8, leaving an extra week in hand for the whole process to conclude. Those extra days might come in very handy," said a Trinamul source.

On Thursday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee did not comment on the day's developments in the court.

Trinamul secretary-general and minister Partha Chatterjee would only say the party had faith in, and the highest regard for, the judiciary.

Chatterjee, however, appeared to blame rivals for the legal hurdles.

"I will say this...those who are behind this have a lot to answer for to the people for repeatedly insulting their mandate. They will receive a fitting response for all of this by the people soon," Chatterjee said.