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The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday said it will hear on November 29 a petition by the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) seeking direction to the West Bengal Government and the West Bengal State Election Commission (WBSEC) to hold municipal polls in the state in one phase.

The state government proposed phased civic body elections in Kolkata and Howrah which the WBSEC accepted, however, BJP has filed the writ petition seeking simultaneous elections in all civic bodies in Bengal in February next year.

The terms of the elected boards ended over the last two years but elections were not held because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The BJP has contended that elections in more than 100 municipal bodies in the state, including municipal corporations of Kolkata and Howrah have been due for a long time and hence they should be held simultaneously without further delay.

BJP's lawyer prayed before the Court for an urgent hearing on the matter claiming that the State Government is mulling holding of elections to municipal corporations of Kolkata and Howrah.

Today, the WBSEC notified dates for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation election. As per the notification, Kolkata civic polls will be held on December 19. The last date for filing of nominations is December 1 and counting will begin on December 22.