Panchayat polls: WB EC moves court against Mamata govt

The West Bengal state Election Commission on Monday moved the Calcutta high court appealing that the Panchayat election date notified by the state government be rejected.

The EC's counsel L C Bihani brought the matter before the court of Justice Biswanatah Somadder and prayed for the rejection.

The judge, however, directed the counsel to get the matter listed before he could take it up. It is likely to be considered by the

court, following listing, either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Trinamool-led government and the EC have been at loggerheads over the schedule of the upcoming Panchayat polls, with the government announcing that these will be held in two phases and that too under the supervision of the state police.

The EC had earlier proposed that the Panchayat polls be held in three phases and central forces be deployed for the sake of free and fair elections.