No Clubbing Of Polls, Election Commission Tells Congress, Trinamool

Trinamool leader Derek O'Brien's request to club the three remaining phases of elections in Bengal in view of rising Covid cases in the state, has been formally turned down by the Election Commission. A similar plea from the Congress's Adhir Ranjan Choudhury was also turned down.

The Commission said it has already issued safety norms, cut down on daily campaign hours and extended the period of silence.

The Commission also pointed out that the total duration of the election period has gone down by 11 days from the last polls in 2016. This time it extends for 66 days, while the number of polling booths has increased by 32 per cent.

Declaring the request is not feasible, the Commission, in its response, said: "You are aware that scheduling for an election is an activity planned much in advance taking complex interplay of variety of factors ranging from optimal utilisation of resources, manpower and training thereof, logistic involved in the mammoth exercise, voters' convenience, festivals etc. and assessment of prevailing law & order situations."

Referring to provisions of the Representation of the People Act, the Commission said keeping certain statutory requirements in mind, "notifications of the schedule of elections have been issued in which at least 14 days period has been prescribed for each phase of poll. Each phase of election is distinct and notified separately under section 30 of the RP Act, 1951. In view of this, your submission that 52 days of campaign period has already been availed is misleading and not in accordance with law".

The rapid spread of Covid in the state has been a matter of huge concern to the state government. The daily surge of the infection over the last 24 hours has crossed the 10,000 mark.

The opposition CPM and the Congress have already declared that they will not hold any further rallies or public meetings.

Trinamool chief and Chief Minster Mamata Banerjee initially said she would enforce safety measures in her meetings, keeping a cap on the crowds and insisting on the use of mask.

On Sunday, Mr O'Brien tweeted that Ms Banerjee will not campaign in Kolkata any more. On April 26, the last day of campaigning in the state capital, she would just hold a "symbolic" meeting, he posted.

While phase six of the West Bengal polls is scheduled on Thursday, the seventh and eighth phases are on April 26 and 29.