Team News Riveting
Kolkata, April 25
Electoral fate of 284 candidates would be sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in West Bengal as the state goes to last but one phase of election on Monday.
Over 8.6 million voters across the 34 assembly constituencies, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s home turf Bhabanipur, would exercise their franchise amid a raging second wave of COVID-19. A thick security blanket had been thrown open by the Election Commission to ensure free and fair polling.
The poll panel has decided to deploy at least 796 companies of central forces in the seventh phase to ensure free and fair voting, according to officials. It will also put in place measures to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols during the voting process, the official added.
West Bengal on Saturday registered its highest-single-day spike of 14,281 coronavirus cases, which took the tally to 7,28,061, and at least 59 more people succumbed to the infection, pushing the toll to 10,884.
Voting will be held at 12,068 polling stations spread over nine assembly constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman districts, six each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda and four in Kolkata, the official said.
All eyes will be on the Bhabanipur constituency, of which the TMC supremo is the sitting MLA and a resident.
