Polling progressing smoothly for 2nd phase of assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal

@the_news_21

In the poll-bound states of Assam and West Bengal, polling for the Second Phase of Assembly Elections is progressing smoothly. The average voter turnout was registered at 27.45 per cent in Assam while it was at 37.42 per cent in West Bengal at 11.00 A.M.

The people were seen standing in long queues in front of the Polling Stations right from the beginning. All the necessary facilities and security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polling during this phase. The Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) is being used along with Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at every Polling Station, with a view to enhance the transparency and credibility of the election process. The polling will be conducted till 6.00 P.M. in Assam while it will continue till 6.30 P.M. in West Bengal.

In view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, the option of Postal Ballot facility has been extended to the electors who are COVID- 19 positive or suspect as certified by competent authority and are in home or institutional quarantine along with those marked as Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and above the age of 80 years. It has also been ensured that every Polling Station is equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) like drinking water, waiting shed, toilet with water facility, adequate arrangements for lighting, ramp of appropriate gradient for the Persons with Disabilities. The special facilities include mandatory sanitization of Polling Station, thermal checking of voters at entry point either by polling staff or paramedical staff or an Asha worker. If temperature is above the set norms of Health Ministry, then the elector will be provided with token and asked to come for voting at the last hour of poll. At the last hour of poll, such electors will be facilitated for voting, strictly following COVID-19 related preventive measures.

In Assam, 345 candidates including 26 women are in fray for the 39 Assembly Constituencies spread over 13 districts going to polls today during the Second of three-phase elections. Over 73.44 lakh voters including 36.09 lakh women and 135 Third Gender persons will decide the fate of these candidates. Total 10,592 Polling Stations have been set up for this purpose. There are three main alliances including the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance with partners Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and Mahajot or Grand Alliance led by the Congress. It includes All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) and the Left parties while yet another conglomerate of Assom Jatiya Party (AJP) and Raijor Dal is also there. BJP has fielded 34 candidates, Congress has 28, AJP -19, AIDUF seven, AGP six and BPF has four while 176 independents and others are also trying their luck.

The prominent leaders contesting during the Second Phase include BJP Ministers Piyush Hazarika from Jagiroad, Parimal Sukla Baidya from the Dholai and Bhabesh Kalita from Rangia along with Deputy Speaker of Assembly Aminul Haque Laskar from Sonai. Former Minister Gautam Roy is contesting from Katigorah while former Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, who resigned from the BJP after he was denied ticket, is contesting as an Independent from Silchar. Former Minister and Congress leader Sum Ronghang is also in the fray from the Diphu seat. Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary is contesting from Panery and former Asam Sahitya Sabha President Paramananda Rajbongshi is trying his luck from Sipajhar.

Senior prominent candidates have exercised their voting rights so far in the second phase of polls in Assam. Senior BJP leader and Parimal Suklabaidya casted his vote at Dholai while another minister Pijush Hazarika too exercised his voting rights at Morigaon district.

Senior BPF leader and Minister Rihon Daimary, Bokajan MLA Numal Momin , UPPL leader Gobinda Charan Basumatari have casted their votes early in the day.

In West Bengal, barring a few stray incidents, polling for the second phase of assembly elections in West Bengal is going on peacefully. 37.42% voting has been recorded till 11 am.

In few booths, voting has been paused for some time due to malfunctioning of EVMs but it resumed after those were replaced.

In Nandigram of East Medinipur, the hanging dead body of a BJP worker had been found this morning. ECI has asked for a report regarding the incident. On the other hand, in Keshpur of West Medinipur, the Election Commission has sought a report regarding the unnatural death of a TMC worker. 8 persons have been arrested in the case.

171 candidates including 19 women are vying for the 30 seats in four districts during the Second Phase in West B. The state is witnessing eight-phase elections. Over 75.94 lakh voters includinengalg 37.13 lakh women and 89 Third Gender persons will decide the fate of these candidates. Total 10,620 Polling Stations have been set up in the Second Phase for this purpose. Bharatiya Janata Party and ruling AITC are contesting for all the 30 seats while Congress, Left parties and their alliance partner Indian Secular Front are fighting under the banner of Sanyukt Morcha. CPI (M) has fielded 15 candidates, Congress has nine, BSP seven, CPI two and AIFB and RSP one each while there are 32 independents along with 44 others are also in the fray.

The prominent leaders contesting during the Second Phase include AITC President and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, her former aide and rival BJP candidate Shubhendu Adhikari along with CPI (M) youth leader Minakshi Mukherjee from Nandigram. AITC Ministers Soumen Mahapatra from Tamluk and Manturam Pakhira from Kakdwip, former Minister Manas Bhuniya, former IPS officers Bharati Ghosh and Humayun Kabir from Debra, Tollywood film stars Sohom Chakraborty from Chandipur, Hiranmoy Chattopadhyaya from Kharagpur Sadar and Sayantika Banerjee from Bankura along with former cricketer Ashoke Dinda from Moyna are also in the fray in this phase.

Meanwhile, the electioneering campaign is gaining momentum in respect of the Third Phase in both these states and also for the single-phase elections in Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the Union Territory of Puducherry. Third Phase polling in these two states will be held on 6th of April when 338 candidates will be contesting for the 40 seats of Assam and 205 candidates for 31 seats of West Bengal.

The single-phase polling in Kerala, Tamil Nadu along with the Union Territory of Puducherry will also be held on 6th of the next month. While there will be 957 candidates in fray for the 140 Assembly Constituencies of Kerala, the total number of candidates will be 4,125 in respect of 234 Constituencies in Tamil Nadu. In Puducherry, 324 candidates will be vying for the 30 Assembly seats.

Besides, the Lok Sabha by-polls will be conducted simultaneously for Kanniyakumari seat in Tamil Nadu where there will be 12 candidates in the fray and also for Malappuram seat in Kerala where six candidates will be taking part in the electoral battle.

During the Fourth Phase of Assembly Elections in West Bengal, the final scenario of electoral contests became clear last Friday after withdrawal of candidature and the election campaign was initiated by the prominent leaders of different political parties. During this phase, 373 candidates will be vying for 44 Assembly seats that will go to polls on 10th of April.

The scrutiny of the nomination papers for the Fifth Phase was completed yesterday and the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 3rd of April. The scrutiny was also done simultaneously for By-Elections of two Lok Sabha seats including Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and Belgaum in Karnataka along with 14 Assembly Constituencies in eleven states. The ACs going in for the by-polls include three in Rajasthan, two in Karnataka and one each in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Telangana and Uttarakhand. In all, 45 ACs will go to polls in the Fifth Phase on 17th of April.

Meanwhile, the process of filing nominations for the Sixth Phase of elections in West Bengal will continue till 3rd of April and the scrutiny of nominations will be undertaken on 5th of April. The last date of withdrawal of candidature will be 7th of April and 43 Assembly Constituencies will go to polls in this phase on 22nd of April.

The nomination process for the Seventh as well as the Eighth and Final Phase of the Assembly Elections in West Bengal, which got underway yesterday, will continue till 7th of April and the scrutiny will be undertaken on 8th of April. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be 12th of April. In all, 36 Assembly Constituencies will go to polls in the Seventh Phase on 26th of April while remaining 35 Assembly Constituencies will go to polls in the Eighth Phase on 29th of April. The counting of votes will be taken up together on 2nd of May.