Future of Bengal Municipal elections in doldrums

Kolkata,31 March(HS): The future of elections to Kolkata and Howrah Municipal corporations along with those of all other Civic bodies across West Bengal seems to be in doldrums in the wake of the current situation because of Coronavirus pandemic.

As elections to the state’s two largest municipal bodies were to be held in mid-April and others in last week of next month following the expiry of their five-year term, the state government had suggested to West Bengal State Election Commissioner Saurav Das and Commission Secretary Nilanjan Shandilya in January about it and accordingly necessary preparation of the Commission begun as per schedule.

But the onset of Covid-19 pandemic since February has changed the entire scenario and the prospects of any election now seem to be a far cry as the entire machinery of the state government has now been diverted to effectively deal with the current situation and fight the Coronavirus.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankar who held a marathon meeting with the State Election Commissioner on 27 January and asked him to prepare for a free, fair and transparent election, everything has now come to halt since the breakout of Coronavirus pandemic.

We have now been exploring all possibilities of the constitution to ensure that there was no violation of any rule because of this unforeseen delay and hold the elections after the complete normalisation of the situation, official sources said and hinted about the possibility of the governor issuing an ordinance in this regard.

Since the terms of these Corporations and most of the Municipal bodies in the state were to be expired by 8 May, the Governor must issue an ordinance in this regard before that, the sources said and stated that the situation had now become much more critical since the state Assembly had also been declared sine die because of the current situation.

It may be recalled that the West Bengal government wanted to hold the Kolkata and Howrah Corporation elections on 12 April, and the same for about 140 other civic bodies elsewhere in the state either on 26 April or on the next day – 27 April – and informed the Commission accordingly.