Election Commission now bans all roadshows for the remaining two phases of State polls
Kolkata/New Delhi: Keeping the COVID pandemic threat at bay, 79.09% voters turned out by 5 PM for phase VI of Assembly elections in West Bengal today to seal the fate of 306 candidates including Bharatiya Janata Party national vice president Mukul Roy, in 43 constituencies spread across four districts of Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Purba Bardhaman and Uttar Dinajpur.
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress were contesting all the 43 seats in Phase 6 . Following today’s round of polling, 114 seats remain that will go to polls in the remaining two phases on April 22 and 29, 2021.
The Election Commission of India said polling was today conducted peacefully in 14,480 Polling Stations spread across 43 Assembly Constituencies, in the sixth phase of elections in the State of West Bengal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose election rallies had thus far drawn huge crowd with people largely seen violating COVID-19 protocol laid down by the Home and Health Ministries of maintaining social distance and wearing mask, meanwhile cancelled his scheduled tour of West Bengal tomorrow, tweeting that he would instead be chairing “high-level meetings to review the prevailing COVID-19 situation”.
Further to instructions issued on April 16, 2021, ECI today again invited the attention of all National, State Political parties to abide by the laid down covid protocols during campaigning. ECI instructed District authorities to initiate action under Disaster Management Act 2005, Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, etc. in case of any violations and to cancel permission for further campaigns even if granted earlier.
The Commission today took a concerted decision to ban all types of roadshows and cycle, bike, vehicle rallies for the remaining two phases of State polls amid a massive spike in Covid cases across the county including West Bengal, with effect from 7 PM today.
Also read: Despite rise in Corona cases, 78.36% women voters turned out for phase V elections in West Bengal
In the Phase VI of West Bengal Assembly Elections, the total number of Persons with Disability electors and 80+ electors were 64,266 and 1,57,290 respectively. A total of 14,480 Ballot Units (BUs), 14,480 Control Units(CUs) and 14,480 VVPATs were used in West Bengal during this phase. 7466 (51.56%) out of 14,480 polling stations were monitored live through webcasting. Drones were also used to keep watch over vote proceedings.
During the ongoing elections till this phase in West Bengal, a record seizure of Rs.316.47 Crores has already been reported till date.
Details of Electors, Polling Stations and Observers in the poll are as follows:
A total of 14,480 Ballot Units (BUs), 14,480 Control Units(CUs) and 14,480 VVPATs were used in West Bengal during this phase. As a major push for conducting free and fair elections, live monitoring and webcasting of more than 50% of Polling Stations including critical and vulnerable polling booths has been put in place as per Commission’s norms, to ensure a safe and secure atmosphere in polling areas.
– global bihari bureau
