The Chief Election Commissioner of West Bengal on Thursday directed officers and all of the political events to guarantee strict compliance of the COVID-19 pointers forward of the fifth part of polling, which is to be held on Saturday. The officers have been requested to make sure that voters keep a minimum of 2-feet distance on the polling cubicles in view of worsening COVID-19 scenario.
Campaigning for the fifth part of the West Bengal Assembly elections, in which 45 seats will go to polls on April 17, ended on Wednesday. The Election Commission has elevated the silence interval from 48 to 72 hours in view of the Cooch Behar killings in the fourth part.
A complete of 1.13 crore voters are eligible to solid their votes on Saturday to resolve the destiny of 342 candidates, together with Siliguri Mayor and Left Front chief Ashok Bhattacharya, state minister Bratya Basu and BJP’s Samik Bhattacharya. Polling can be held from 7 am to 6.30 pm at 15,789 polling stations in 16 meeting seats in North 24 Parganas, eight every in Purba Bardhaman and Nadia, seven in Jalpaiguri, 5 Darjeeling and one in Kalimpong district.
Amid rising instances of violence, the ballot physique additionally emphasised on the necessity to strictly implement Section 144 in the subsequent part of polling. In case of any untoward incident outdoors part 144 on Saturday, the realm can be cordoned off instantly, the officers determined. The Election Commission additionally instructed the state police to lathicharge the individuals if a scenario goes out of management or mobs seem round polling cubicles.
Sources indicated that the ballot physique was a chance of merging the final three phases — 6,7 and eight. However, no such choice has been taken but and it was only a chance, they clarified.
The ballot physique has elevated the quantity of election observers from 55 to 66 for the subsequent part of polling and has given them the rights to take prompt choice if scenario goes out of management. The observers can be on obligation from 5 am onwards. Stern warning has been issued to ADG L&O by prime EC officers to guarantee peaceable voting. In case of Sitalkuchi-like scenario, the CAPF can open fireplace however in preserving with the usual operation process (SOP), which is beneath the knee.
In view of the Cooch Behar killings, in which 4 individuals have been killed in CISF firing and one man was shot useless by unidentified individuals outdoors a sales space in Sitalkuchi, the EC has determined to deploy a minimum of 853 corporations of central forces to guarantee free and truthful voting, an election official stated. The BJP’s star campaigners together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, get together chief J P Nadda and actor Mithun Chakraborty had addressed a number of rallies in the area, attacking the TMC over corruption fees.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee, then again, attacked the Centre over gasoline value rise. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi additionally addressed rallies in the state on Saturday.
The BJP led in extra meeting seats than the TMC in the area in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The TMC had gained 32 seats in the 2016 meeting polls, the Left-Congress alliance 10, whereas the BJP had drawn a clean.
Votes polled in the eight-phase meeting elections to 294 seats, which started on March 27, can be counted on May 2.
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