EC cannot notify un-opposed winner in Bengal Panchayat polls

New Delhi, July 5: After the Supreme Court expressed shock on how 20,159 out of the 58,692 seats in the West Bengal Panchayat elections went un-contested, the state Election Commission said that the complaints were filed only in 1,750 of the un-contested seats. The EC indicated that there was no foul play in the election process.

While placing the records before the court, the EC said that the percentage of uncontested seats was a meagre 2.98 per cent of the total number of seats. The EC said that the results had to be declared forthwith after only one person filed the nomination paper in a constituency.

The Bench while adjourning the matter to August 6 said that its interim order restraining the EC from notifying the winners from the uncontested seats would continue.

The Bench had on Tuesday expressed concern over the events and said that it appeared as though grass-root level democracy in the state was not working.