The Governor of West Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankhar, on Monday sought an update from the State Election Commission (SEC) on the upcoming civic polls in the State.
“Will seek an update as regards upcoming Municipal Elections from the State Election Commissioner Saurabh Kumar Das on Feb. 27,” the Governor said on Twitter.
Mr. Dhankhar added that the SEC is a constitutional body “for superintendence, direction and control of Municipal Elections under article 243K of the Constitution of India”.
Summons significant
Several key civic bodies in the State, including the Kolkata Muncipal Corporation, are likely to go to the polls in the next few months. The summons to the State Election Commissioner before a formal announcement of the polls is made assumes lot of significance.
There is also a history of run-ins between the Trinamool Congress government and the SEC on the conduct of civil polls in the State, particularly on the need of deployment of Central Armed Police Forces.
The civic elections are being tipped as “mini Assembly polls” ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections in the State. The TMC is in power in most of the 108 civic bodies where elections are due.
(With PTI inputs)
