Election Commission directs DM to give exact reason for withdrawing nomination

The Election Commission has directed that candidates wishing to withdraw their nominations for the Panchayat elections in the state must provide a valid reason. District Magistrates have been instructed to verify the information through written confirmation.

Allegations of forced withdrawals have surfaced in various parts of the state ahead of the elections. The Commission had previously issued a show cause order on the matter. The nomination process for the Panchayat elections commenced on June 9 and will continue until June 15, with Sunday being the only exempted day.

Three Public Interest Litigations (PILs) have been filed in the Calcutta High Court, arguing that the nomination period was insufficient. A division bench, led by Chief Justice TS Shivagnam and Justice Hiranmoy Bhattacharya, is currently hearing the case. The BJP has requested a minimum of 12 days for filing nominations.

Since the announcement of the polling day, complaints regarding disturbances in the nomination process have been reported from various parts of the state. Murshidabad has particularly experienced significant issues, including allegations of a Congress worker's murder in Khargram.

Recent bomb recoveries have also been reported in Suti and Hariharpara of Murshidabad. On Sunday night, an attack on a Congress candidate's house in Nakashipara, Nadia, was reported. The opposition parties have made several allegations against the ruling party regarding the submission of nomination papers.

However, local Trinamool leaders have refuted these allegations in each case. Congress and BJP have requested adequate security measures for submitting nominations and have proposed that nominations be accepted at the District Magistrate's office or the Commission's headquarters.

The court emphasized that the Commission should address security concerns and enrollment hindrances seriously. Consequently, the Commission issued a letter to the District Magistrates, providing new instructions regarding the withdrawal of nominations