Kolkata Civic Polls Face Uncertainty As Calcutta High Court Restrains Election Notification Over Ward Delimitation Row

The Calcutta High Court has intervened in the upcoming Kolkata civic polls, casting doubt on their scheduled date. The court has restrained the State Election Commission (SEC) from issuing a notification for the polls, which were reportedly due to take place in November. The division bench, comprising Justices Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya and Arjun Ray Mukherjee, made the decision while hearing an appeal.

A petition challenging the delimitation of municipal wards is currently pending before a single bench of the High Court. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) polls were reportedly planned for later this month or the following month. The political landscape is tense, with leaders from the saffron camp, including Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, urging citizens to support their victory so they can form civic boards.

Adhikari expressed confidence in his party's prospects, stating that they would challenge the court's decision in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, opposition leaders have voiced concerns over the fairness of the elections, with CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury noting that the civic polls may not be free and fair.