Calcutta HC hears plea for quashing of W.Bengal Panchayat poll

Kolkata, May 8: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday heard a petition by the Congress seeking quashing of the May 14 Panchayat poll date in West Bengal on grounds of inadequate security arrangements and said it would hear the case again on Thursday before pronouncing its verdict.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya and Arijit Banerjee heard the petitioners and respondents in the case and took stock of the deployment of armed forces on the polling day.

West Bengal Advocate General Kishore Dutta said the state has 71,500 armed personnel to be deployed during the polling day in addition to 80,000 civic volunteers and pointed out that the state administration would be able to post one armed personnel and one person carrying baton in each of the polling booths.