E-Paper
Covid-19: No plan to merge final 4 phases of Bengal polls, says Election Commission
An exponential rise in the country's daily new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) triggered speculations that the final four phases of the eight-phased West Bengal assembly elections could be clubbed.
Election Commission of India (ECI) officials on Thursday dismissed speculations that the final four phases of the ongoing assembly elections in the state of West Bengal could be clubbed due to an exponential rise in daily cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) across the country.
Officials further said that the chief electoral officer (CEO) of West Bengal has called an all-party meeting in Kolkata on Friday to discuss adherence to Covid-19 guidelines issued by the poll commission. This comes after the ECI, last Friday, sent a letter to all political parties in the fray in the eastern state, mentioning that instances of elections campaigns/meetings, in which social distancing norms, wearing of masks etc. were flouted, were brought to its notice.
Also Read | Election Commission tells political parties to follow Covid-19 protocol, norms
The letter re-epmhasised Covid-19 protocols issued ahead of last October-November’s Bihar assembly elections, as well as by-elections in various states, the first electoral exercise to be conducted since the pandemic began.
Even as India has witnessed more than 100,000 daily fresh infections of Covid-19 over the last few days, including more than 200,000 cases for the first time in the last 24 hours-its highest in a single day thus far-politicians, cutting across party lines, have addressed rallies, with crowds sitting perilously close to each other. In many cases, the participants, as well as the attendees were even seen without masks.
Also Read | India records over 2 lakh new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours, more than 1,000 deaths reported for second consecutive day
The Election Commission has come under fire for scheduling the assembly polls in West Bengal in eight phases. Earlier in the day on Thursday, Mahua Moitra of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) slammed the ECI over the scheduling of the polls, calling it “criminal negligence bordering on manslaughter.”
Also Read | 'Criminal negligence bordering on manslaughter': Mahua Moitra slams EC over 8-phase Bengal polls amid Covid-19
Voting for the first four phases was conducted on March 27, April 1, April 6 and April 10 respectively. The fifth phase polling is scheduled to take place on April 17, followed by the final three rounds on April 22, 26 and 29. Total 135 assembly constituencies voted in the first four phases, while 159 will across the last four. The counting of votes and declaration of results are to take place on May 2.
