Bengal rural polls: SEC says proper reason in writing must for withdrawal of nomination

The SEC has forwarded directives in this regard to all district magistrates and superintendents of police, a senior official said.There are complaints that candidates are being forced to withdraw their nominations. The panchayat polls are scheduled to be held on July 8.An SEC official said over 10,000 nomination papers have been filed so far.

After receiving complaints about opposition leaders being ''forcefully'' made to withdraw nominations for the panchayat polls, the West Bengal State Election Commission on Monday said all candidates would be required to give in writing “proper reasons” for taking such a decision. The SEC has forwarded directives in this regard to all district magistrates and superintendents of police, a senior official said.

''There are complaints that candidates are being forced to withdraw their nominations. Henceforth, any candidate intending to withdraw nomination will be required to state the proper reasons and give those in writing,” he told PTI.

Several incidents of clashes were reported from different parts of West Bengal on Monday, as unidentified miscreants allegedly attacked opposition leaders while they were on their way to file nomination papers for the panchayat polls.

The skirmishes were reported in Daspur (Paschim Medinipur), Kakdwip (South 24 Parganas), Raninagar (Murshidabad), Saktinagar and Barshul (both in Purba Bardhaman) and Minakhan (North 24 Parganas), officials said.

The development comes on a day the SEC directed all district magistrates and superintendents of police to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CRPC in 1-km radius of all nomination centres.

The orders, which were issued on Sunday, will be in force till Thursday. The panchayat polls are scheduled to be held on July 8.

An SEC official said over 10,000 nomination papers have been filed so far.