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Updated April 15th, 2021 at 17:43 IST

West Bengal election: EC calls all-party meeting over COVID; quashes speculation on phases

The Election Commission has called an all-party meeting on April 16 to ensure adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines in the remaining phases of West Bengal polls.

Reported by: Akhil Oka
West bengal elections
PTI/ANI | Image:self
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The West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer has called an all-party meeting on April 16 to ensure adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines mandated by the Election Commission for the remaining phases of the West Bengal polls. This comes in the wake of the Calcutta High Court order dated April 13. Reportedly, all political parties in the state have been asked to send only one representative each for the meeting which is likely to witness discussion related to campaigning. On Thursday, the ECI rejected the speculation of clubbing the 6th, 7th and 8th phases of the WB Assembly election. At present, there are 32,621 active novel coronavirus cases in West Bengal while 5,87,037 patients have been discharged besides 10,458 fatalities. 

The Calcutta High Court order

On Tuesday, the Calcutta HC directed the strict implementation of COVID-19 guidelines during the West Bengal election campaign. A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee was hearing two pleas that expressed concern that the non-adherence of COVID-19 protocol during the ongoing poll campaign might cause a serious spike in the novel coronavirus cases in the state. While acknowledging the measures taken by the Election Commission at the polling booths, the bench asked the poll body to take stringent measures against persons who flout guidelines to curb COVID-19 spread. 

It directed that wearing of masks has to be mandatory at all gatherings, sanitizers should be made available liberally and social distancing norms must be followed. Moreover, it requested members of all political parties and poll candidates who hold meetings for campaigning purposes to ensure that persons present at every gathering wear masks and maintain the social distancing norms. The court also held that the District Magistrates and the WB Chief Electoral Officer will be personally responsible for ensuring that the guidelines are followed by everyone. 

West Bengal polls

Mamata Banerjee-led TMC had swept the 2016 Assembly polls by bagging 211 seats in the 294-member Assembly. In West Bengal, 294 seats are up for grabs and people will be able to cast their votes at 1,01,916 polling stations. Buoyed by its stupendous 2019 Lok Sabha performance, BJP is looking to oust TMC and is aiming at winning over 200 seats this time. While Congress was the second-largest party in 2016, it has tied with the Left and the ISF to form the Sanjukta Morcha. 

The voter turnout for the seats that went to the polls in the first, second, third and fourth phases was 84.63 per cent, 86.11 per cent, 84.61 per cent and 79.90 per cent respectively. The polling for the remaining phases will take place on April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Meanwhile, the election results will be declared on May 2. 

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Published April 15th, 2021 at 17:43 IST

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