kolkata

Kolkata (July 03,2023) : The Calcutta High Court on Monday dismissed a PIL filed by ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui seeking an increase in the number of phases for the upcoming municipal elections in Kolkata. The court said that the same plea had already been filed by another petitioner and was pending adjudication. "You all have a political motive," the court's chief justice, Prakash Shrivastava, said.

Siddiqui, the MLA from Metiabruz, had argued that the existing two-phase system would not be enough to ensure free and fair elections. He had also pointed out that the number of voters in Kolkata had increased significantly since the last municipal elections in 2015. However, the court rejected his plea, saying that it was not the appropriate forum to decide on the matter. It said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was the competent authority to decide on the number of phases for the elections.

The ECI has not yet announced the schedule for the municipal elections in Kolkata. However, it is expected to do so soon. The dismissal of Siddiqui's PIL is a setback for the ISF, which has been demanding an increase in the number of phases for the municipal elections. The party believes that the two-phase system will not be enough to ensure free and fair elections, especially in a city like Kolkata, which has a large and diverse population.

The ECI is likely to face pressure from other political parties to increase the number of phases for the elections. However, the ECI will have to balance the demands of the political parties with the logistical challenges of conducting elections in a large city like Kolkata. It remains to be seen whether the ECI will increase the number of phases for the municipal elections in Kolkata. However, the dismissal of Siddiqui's PIL is a sign that the ECI is not likely to take any major decisions on the matter without consulting the political parties.