The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the pleas of the West Bengal government and an NGO seeking that panchayat elections in the state be rescheduled in view of the holy month of Ramzan which begins in the second week of July.
The apex court had on Friday directed that the state panchayat elections be held in five phases on July 11, 15, 19, 22 and 25. The polls were earlier scheduled to be held in three phases from July 2.
“We respect the sentiments of the Muslim community. But we cannot help it,” a bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik and Ranjan Gogoi said in response to the NGO’s contention that one-third of the state’s population is Muslim and would have to fast during Ramzan — from July 10 to August 9 — which would coincide with the polls.
The court, however, said that conducting the elections before July 11 was not possible due to the Centre’s inability to deploy security forces who are engaged in rescue and relief operations in Uttarakhand.
The Supreme Court also said that delaying the polls to after August 9 would be unconstitutional as the term of the panchayats would have lapsed.
“Should we violate the Constitution (by postponing the dates) or should we allow polls without security?” the Supreme Court bench asked the state government and the NGO, adding, “Judges have to go according to the Constitution.”
The bench also pulled up the West Bengal government for “dilly-dallying” on the issue. “If you (state government) wanted to have election on time then you should have taken steps earlier. This is dilly-dallying,” the bench said and directed it to issue notification as per court’s order.