Kolkata: Welcoming the Calcutta high court’s verdict in the panchayat elections case chief minister Mamata Banerjee has called for the rural polls at the earliest after the opposition parties claimed of success over the verdict.

On Friday evening she said, “We welcome the verdict because we always respect the court and we are in favour of elections to protect democracy.”

Ms Banerjee elaborated, “I expect that the state poll panel would conduct the elections at the earliest following the high court’s order and the rules of the Panchayat Act because a lot of time has been wasted. We have to note that the remaining days would not belost because the heat will increase in the coming days. Storms and rains happen this time also. Few days ago 18 lives were lost in the storm suddenly.”

Referring to the scorching heat in districts like Birbhum and Murshidabad she added, “If the polls get delayed further, the sufferings will increase also. That is why we wanted the polls be held at the earliest. Examinations and filing of nominations took
place simultaneously. Many days have passed. There is no time left to be wasted. It is better if the state poll panel declares the schedule soon. Let the poll pass off peacefully.”

The chief minister reasoned that the people would land in problems as the holy month of Ramzan comes next. “Bengal has 30 per cent of Muslims who observe fast for a month. Theywill have trouble like we will have if the polls are held during Durga Puja. We want the elections. So the question of challenging the case does not arise. We did not move the court,” she added.

Slamming the opposition the Trinamul Congress supremo argued, “Those who moved the court do not want elections. They can file cases. Its their democratic right. I am not commenting on it. But so many days got wasted in the course of the case. The heat would have been less if the polls would have been held in the week of May. We want the polls be held in a democratic process at the earliest.”