West Bengal poll panel calls all-party meeting on Mar 16 over civic elections

The West Bengal State Election Commission convened a meeting with all the major political parties on March 16 in view of the upcoming civic polls, an official said here on Friday.

The poll panel has invited 10 political parties and asked them to send two representatives each at its office for the meeting. The commission will also take opinions of the political parties regarding fixing of poll dates.

"We have issued letters to the political parties for Monday's meeting on the upcoming polls to be conducted in 111 municipal bodies in the state," a senior official of the state election commission said. The coronavirus outbreak will be taken into account before the dates of the elections are finalised, the official said.

The elections to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and other civic bodies are likely to be held in the state mid- April unless the virus scare derails the plans, sources said. The state government is keen on holding the elections between April 12 and 26, sources had indicated earlier.