The Supreme Court on Thursday said that the West Bengal elections will be held on May 14, according to the earlier schedule. It also asked the State Election Commission (SEC) and the West Bengal government to ensure free and fair elections. It told the poll body not to issue any notification on the declaration of results till July 3.

The apex court also set aside the Calcutta High Court order that asked the West Bengal Election Commission to accept nominations for panchayat elections through email. It was hearing the state EC’s plea in which it had sought a stay on the HC order of May 8, saying it would suffer “irreparable loss and injury”.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud was asked by the BJP’s West Bengal unit that a copy of the SEC’s petition be given to them as well. The CPI(M) has claimed that many of its candidates were prevented from filing nominations by the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress. The CPI(M) had reportedly filed 800 nominations through e-mail:

 

Some candidates who have filled e-nominations are being threatened and attacked to withdraw their nominations. Nobody expect the Election Commission knows the details about these nominations: Biman Bose, CPI(M) on West Bengal panchayat polls pic.twitter.com/KDNeKzELZj

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2018

On May 8, the high court had directed the SEC to accept nominations of those candidates named by the CPI(M) who had filed their papers electronically within the stipulated time on April 23.

The West Bengal panchayat polls will now be held on May 14. The panchayat polls have been mired in controversy this time. There have been clashes among workers of different parties, forcing SEC to extend the date of filing of nominations. However, when the EC gave in, the BJP approached the court, seeking that the decision be revoked.