Hyderabad: West Bengal is all set to witness the penultimate phase VII of the 2021 Assembly polls on 26 April, Monday.
A total of 86,78,221 electors will decide the fate of 284 candidates from 28 national and state political parties at 36 Assembly constituencies in five districts on Monday. However, the heightened safety amid the soaring COvid-19 cases in the state is also expected to play a crucial role in phase VII.
All political parties cancelled their poll campaign due to a sudden rise in coronavirus cases across the nation.
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Following the surge in COVID cases in the poll-bound state, on 22 April the election commission banned poll rallies for the remaining phases of elections.
In an order, the Election Commission invoked its powers under Article 324 to prohibit roadshows, 'padh yatras', and cycle/bike/vehicle rallies in West Bengal.
The Commission also restricted the limit of persons at any public meeting to 500 for the remainder of the Bengal assembly elections. Permission for roadshows or bike rallies, if granted already, was withdrawn. At the same time, permissions for public meetings, if granted already, will be modified as per the latest order.
In Phase VII of Bengal polls, a total of 26 percent of candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
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CPI(M) has topped the list of candidates with criminal backgrounds contesting in the phase VII polls. Nine (69%) out of 13 candidates of CPI(M) reported criminal cases against them.
13 (36%) out of 36 constituencies have been declared Red alert constituencies as three or more contesting candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.
The Election Commission has decided to deploy 653 companies of central forces for the penultimate seventh phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal scheduled for April 26.
Of the five districts going to the polls in the seventh phase on Monday, three districts — Malda, Murshidabad and South Dinajpur — share borders with Bangladesh.
A total of 21 constituencies in these three districts, including nine in Murshidabad and six each in Malda and South Dinajpur, will go to the polls on Monday, for which the Commission has deployed as many as 436 companies of central forces.
Alternatively, only 217 companies of forces have been deployed for the remaining 13 constituencies—nine in West Burdwan and four in Kolkata—where polling will be held on Monday.
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