The State Election Commission on Thursday told Calcutta High Court that polls to 111 civic bodies across Bengal would be held in two phases on January 22 and February 27.

The SEC informed the court that elections would be held to five municipal corporations — Bidhan Nagar, Howrah, Chandernagore, Asansol and Siliguri — on January 22. The remaining 106 municipalities will go to the polls on February 27.

In response to separate petitions filed by the BJP and the CPM, the division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj had asked the SEC to inform it when and in how many phases the commission wanted to hold the polls to the 111 civic bodies.

In response, the counsel for the SEC, Jayanta Mitra, on Thursday informed the division bench that it had decided to hold the elections in two phases. The SEC had during a previous hearing informed the court that it might hold the polls to the remaining 111 civic bodies in six to eight phases with a target to end the entire process by May 31. The bench then ordered the SEC to hold the elections as immediately as possible and in minimum possible phases.

As the SEC declared its schedule before the bench and concurred with the court’s directive to hold the elections as early as possible and in minimum phases, the judges did not oppose the panel’s decision.

Apart from the issue involving SEC’s schedule for the remaining civic polls, the bench also heard cases filed in the aftermath of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation elections.

Three petitions filed by the Left parties came up for hearing before the court on Thursday. The CPI in its petition sought production of CCTV footage before the court to prove its allegation that gross malpractices had taken place during voting on December 19.

The CPM, in its petitions, had alleged that the party had got no votes in many of the booths and claimed that it proved irregularities in the polling process.

But the SEC’s counsel told the court that only two candidates had lodged complaints and police had taken immediate action to arrest the goons.

Security

Justice Rajasekhar Mantha of Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed Calcutta police chief and Burtola OC to provide security for one week to Ravi Saha, the Congress contender from ward number 16 of the CMC. Saha was allegedly heckled by Trinamul Congress workers on polling day.

The judge also asked the police to take Saha’s secret deposition and act against the offenders. Saha had moved court after the election and produced a video clipping showing how he was tortured.