Bengal Municipal polls deferred amid coronavirus scare, says SEC

Kolkata: The Municipal body elections in West Bengal have been deferred in wake of Coronavirus outbreak, said State Election Commission (SEC) on Monday (March 16, 2020). The decision was taken at an all-party meeting called to decide the dates for the elections. 

The delegation from all parties met the State Election Commissioner and urged him to postpone the polls in the wake of Coronavirus outbreak. 

The state election commission will conduct a review meeting after 15 days and assess the situation to decide the new dates. State Election Commissioner Sourav Das said "We have decided to defer the civic polls for the time being because of the coronavirus outbreak. We will again hold a meeting to take a call on the matter after 15 days,"

Elections to 107 municipal bodies of the state and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation are being viewed as a neck and neck fight between TMC and the BJP. 

Meanwhile, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had a meeting with the government of India and state officials including Kolkata Police and health department to review the ongoing situation in the state. The Bengal government has created Rs 200 crore fund to deal with coronavirus emergency.  

Addressing media on Monday, Mamata said that TMC party has requested that the polls be pushed back because of the Coronavirus.