Voting in two West Bengal constituencies where two candidates had died due to COVID-19 has been deferred indefinitely because of the coronavirus surge, the Election Commission said in a statement today.
"The Commission, after taking all material facts and inputs of CEO West Bengal and CEO Odisha in consideration and taking note of lockdown under Disaster Management Act, 2005, as issued by NDMA/SDMA, has decided to defer the scheduled poll and extend the period of elections in 110-Pipli AC of Odisha and 58-Jangipur and 56-Samserganj assembly constituencies of West Bengal," the statement read.
In April, Revolutionary Socialist Party's Jangipur candidate Pradip Nandy and Congress's Rezaul Haque in Samserganj had died because of Covid complications.
The Election Commission said fresh notifications will be issued after assessment of the coronavirus situation.
Bengal has been reporting over 15,000 daily cases for several days amid the more dangerous second coronavirus wave.
Top politicians from the ruling Trinamool and the opposition BJP were criticised for organising mega poll rallies in Bengal when the pandemic ravaged the country.
A day after the last phase of polling, the Bengal administration imposed a partial lockdown.
The Madras High Court on April 26 said the Election Commission "should probably be booked for murder" for allowing crowded election campaigns and was "singularly responsible" for the current Covid spike.
The Election Commission has approached the Supreme Court against the remark.
Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has scored a landslide victory with 213 seats. The challenger BJP won 77, whereas the Left-Congress combine couldn't open their accounts.
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