EC Vs TMC: PIL in Calcutta HC For Bypolls in 7 Vacant Assembly Seats in Bengal

A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Calcutta High Court seeking the court’s intervention to direct the Election Commission to announce the dates of by-poll in the seven vacant assembly constituencies in West Bengal. Speaking to News18, Advocate Rama Prasad Sarkar said, “It is a matter of concern why the EC has not yet announced the by-poll dates for the seven vacant seats in Bengal. But in this case, almost four months have passed since Mamata Banerjee took oath as the Chief Minister of Bengal on May 5 and we are still in the dark about the poll dates.” “The EC is unnecessarily delaying the by-polls and therefore I pleaded before the Chief Justice to kindly direct the EC, Ministry of Home Affairs and State Election Commission to immediately announce the by-elections dates,” he said. Recently on August 26, a team of delegates from Trinamool Congress met the officials of the EC in Delhi with a plea to hold the by-polls at the earliest for the seven vacant assembly seats in the State. The EC said that they will consider our matter and we are hopeful for a fair response from the EC.” As of now there are seven vacant assembly seats in West Bengal.