In a first in the country, campaigning for nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal going to polls in the last phase came to an end at 10 pm on Thursday, 20 hours before the scheduled time, as per orders of the Election Commission.

Polling will be held in nine constituencies of south Bengal on Sunday where an electorate of 1,49,63,064 will decide the fate of 111 candidates, the EC said.

Seats in which elections will be held on Sunday are Kolkata North and Kolkata South, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, Jaynagar (SC) and Mathurapur (SC) seats.

In a first such action in India's electoral history, the Election Commission had Wednesday ordered campaigning in the nine West Bengal constituencies to end at 10 pm on Thursday, instead of 6 pm on Friday, in the wake of violence between the BJP and the TMC in the city during Amit Shah's roadshow.

A total 710 companies of central forces are being deployed by the EC to cover almost all polling booths of the nine seats to ensure free and fair voting on Sunday, officials in the poll panel said.

The nine seats are spread across the three districts of Kolkata, South and North 24 Parganas. Eight seats, barring the Jadavpur seat, will see a four-cornered contest between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP, the Congress and the Left Front.

Jadavpur will witness a triangular fight as the Congress has not put up its candidate in the seat.

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The high-voltage campaign saw poll meetings by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/cctv-footage-of-vandalisation-of-ishwar-chandra-vidyasagars-statute-should-be-released-pm-modi-219213">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a>, BJP president Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress leader Sachin Pilot and West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congres supremo Mamata Banerjee.

The prime minister held two poll meetings on the last day at Mathurapur in South 24 Parganas and Dum Dum in North 24 Parganas, while Banerjee held two road shows at Behala and Jadavpur areas of the city and two poll meetings at Mathurapur and Diamond Harbour.

Shah's roadshow in the city on Tuesday saw violence and destruction of social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's bust in a college in north Kolkata named after him.

In the Dum Dum seat, the BJP has fielded Samik Bhattacharya against sitting TMC MP Saugata Ray. Left Front major CPI(M) has nominated Nepaldeb Bhattacharya, while the Congress announced the name of Saurav Saha.

In Barasat, TMC MP Kakoli Ghoshdastidar is contesting against BJP's Mrinal Kanti Debnath. The Congress has nominated Subrata Dutta and Left Front Constituent All India Forward Bloc Haripada Biswas.

Basirhat Lok Sabha seat will see TMC's celebrity candidate Nusrat Jahan Ruhi locking horns with BJP's Sayantan Basu. The Congress has nominated Quazi Abdur Rahim and the Left Front constituent CPI, Pallab Sengupta.

In Jayanagar(SC) seat TMC's Pratima Mondal will contest against Dr Ashok Kandary of BJP. The Congress has fielded Tapan Mondal and Left Front constituent RSP Subhas Naskar.

Choudhury Mohan Jatua is the TMC candidate from Mathurapur (SC) seat against BJP's Shyama Prasad Halder. The Congress has nominated Krittibas Sardar and the CPI(M) has fielded Dr Sarat Chandra Haldar for the seat.

In Diamond Harbour, sitting MP Abhishek Banerjee, who is the nephew of TMC supremo and considered the number two in the party, is seeking re-election from the seat. He will contest against BJP's Nilanjan Roy. The CPI(M) has nominated Fuad Halim and the Congress Soumya Aich Roy for the seat.

In the Jadavpur seat, TMC's celebrity candidate Mimi Chakraborty will contest against Anupam Hazra of the BJP. The CPI(M) has fielded senior leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.

Mala Roy is the TMC candidate from Kolkata South seat against BJP's Chandra Kumar Bose. The CPI(M) has nominated Nandini Mukherjee and the Congress has fielded Mita Chakraborty.

In Kolkata North, Sudip Bandyopadhyay will contest against Rahul Sinha, the BJP national secretary. The CPI(M) has fielded Kaninika Bose and the Congress, Syed Shahid Imam.

The polling personnel have left for the 17,042 booths in the nine seats, the officials said.

Besides general election observers and expenditure observers, the poll panel has for the first time deployed a special police observer and a special observer.

In another first, VVPAT will be used in all the polling booths along with the EVMs, EC officials said.&nbsp;

In a first in the country, campaigning for nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal going to polls in the last phase came to an end at 10 pm on Thursday, 20 hours before the scheduled time, as per orders of the Election Commission.

In a first in the country, campaigning for nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal going to polls in the last phase came to an end at 10 pm on Thursday, 20 hours before the scheduled time, as per orders of the Election Commission. Polling will be held in nine constituencies of south Bengal on Sunday where an electorate of 1,49,63,064 will decide the fate of 111 candidates, the EC said. Seats in which elections will be held on Sunday are Kolkata North and Kolkata South, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour, Jaynagar (SC) and Mathurapur (SC) seats. In a first such action in India's electoral history, the Election Commission had Wednesday ordered campaigning in the nine West Bengal constituencies to end at 10 pm on Thursday, instead of 6 pm on Friday, in the wake of violence between the BJP and the TMC in the city during Amit Shah's roadshow. A total 710 companies of central forces are being deployed by the EC to cover almost all polling booths of the nine seats to ensure free and fair voting on Sunday, officials in the poll panel said. The nine seats are spread across the three districts of Kolkata, South and North 24 Parganas. Eight seats, barring the Jadavpur seat, will see a four-cornered contest between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP, the Congress and the Left Front. Jadavpur will witness a triangular fight as the Congress has not put up its candidate in the seat. × The high-voltage campaign saw poll meetings by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress leader Sachin Pilot and West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congres supremo Mamata Banerjee. The prime minister held two poll meetings on the last day at Mathurapur in South 24 Parganas and Dum Dum in North 24 Parganas, while Banerjee held two road shows at Behala and Jadavpur areas of the city and two poll meetings at Mathurapur and Diamond Harbour. Shah's roadshow in the city on Tuesday saw violence and destruction of social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's bust in a college in north Kolkata named after him. In the Dum Dum seat, the BJP has fielded Samik Bhattacharya against sitting TMC MP Saugata Ray. Left Front major CPI(M) has nominated Nepaldeb Bhattacharya, while the Congress announced the name of Saurav Saha. In Barasat, TMC MP Kakoli Ghoshdastidar is contesting against BJP's Mrinal Kanti Debnath. The Congress has nominated Subrata Dutta and Left Front Constituent All India Forward Bloc Haripada Biswas. Basirhat Lok Sabha seat will see TMC's celebrity candidate Nusrat Jahan Ruhi locking horns with BJP's Sayantan Basu. The Congress has nominated Quazi Abdur Rahim and the Left Front constituent CPI, Pallab Sengupta. In Jayanagar(SC) seat TMC's Pratima Mondal will contest against Dr Ashok Kandary of BJP. The Congress has fielded Tapan Mondal and Left Front constituent RSP Subhas Naskar. Choudhury Mohan Jatua is the TMC candidate from Mathurapur (SC) seat against BJP's Shyama Prasad Halder. The Congress has nominated Krittibas Sardar and the CPI(M) has fielded Dr Sarat Chandra Haldar for the seat. In Diamond Harbour, sitting MP Abhishek Banerjee, who is the nephew of TMC supremo and considered the number two in the party, is seeking re-election from the seat. He will contest against BJP's Nilanjan Roy. The CPI(M) has nominated Fuad Halim and the Congress Soumya Aich Roy for the seat. In the Jadavpur seat, TMC's celebrity candidate Mimi Chakraborty will contest against Anupam Hazra of the BJP. The CPI(M) has fielded senior leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya. Mala Roy is the TMC candidate from Kolkata South seat against BJP's Chandra Kumar Bose. The CPI(M) has nominated Nandini Mukherjee and the Congress has fielded Mita Chakraborty. In Kolkata North, Sudip Bandyopadhyay will contest against Rahul Sinha, the BJP national secretary. The CPI(M) has fielded Kaninika Bose and the Congress, Syed Shahid Imam. The polling personnel have left for the 17,042 booths in the nine seats, the officials said. Besides general election observers and expenditure observers, the poll panel has for the first time deployed a special police observer and a special observer. In another first, VVPAT will be used in all the polling booths along with the EVMs, EC officials said.

Campaigning ends for seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bengal

The Election Commission special observer, Ajay V Nayak Saturday said the situation in West Bengal is similar to what it was in Bihar around 10 to 15 years ago and had lead to the voters' demand for deployment of central forces in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The ruling Trinamool Congress demanded his immediate removal, claiming that Nayak has allegiance to the RSS and the BJP and is acting as per their orders.

The people of West Bengal have lost faith in the state police and therefore their demand for deployment of central forces at all polling booths has increased, Nayak, who is the former Bihar chief electoral officer, said.

The situation in Bihar has improved and less number of central forces are required there now, he told newsmen at the office of the West Bengal chief electoral officer here.

Nayak, a 1984-batch IAS officer, was recently given the responsibility to oversee the last five phases of polls in West Bengal.

"This situation in West Bengal is similar to what it was in Bihar around 10 to 15 years ago. During that time in Bihar total deployment of central forces at the booths was required. Now it is required in West Bengal as the people of West Bengal have lost faith in the state police and are seeking deployment of central forces at all the booths," he told reporters.

"I cannot understand that if people in Bihar were able to bring in a change in the atmosphere and situation there, then why this is not happening in West Bengal," Nayak said in the presence of state Chief Electoral Officer Ariz Aftab.

He said that in the third phase of polling on April 23, 324 companies of central forces would be deployed to cover more than 92 per cent of the polling booths in five Lok Sabha constituencies.

Balurghat, Malda North, Malda South, Jangipur and Murshidabad parliamentary constituencies will go to the polls on April 23.

Nayak, however, sounded hopeful that the state may require less central force by next Parliamentary elections.

"In terms of election management, things are improving in West Bengal. So I am sure by the time of next Parliamentary elections it will not require this kind of central force deployment. I am sure about that," Nayak said.

In the first phase on April 11, central forces were deployed in 51 per cent of the booths in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar seats and 194 companies covered 80 per cent of the booths in Raiganj, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri in the second phase on April 18.

In the first phase, there were reports of booth capturing, smashing of EVMs and intimidation. Similar incidents were reported in the second phase from Chopra in Darjeeling constituency and also from Islampur in Raiganj constituency. There were also reports of damage to the vehicle of sitting CPI-M MP Mohammed Salim at Raiganj.

Nayak said no negligence was found after scrutiny of the pollings in the first phase and there will be no repoll in the constituencies where voting was held on the day.

The special observer, however, did not dismiss chances of repolling in some booths where polling was held in the second phase.

TMC secretary general Subrata Bakshi wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora demanding the immediate removal of Nayak to ensure free and fair polls in the state.

"The Election Commission after two phases of polling had said, barring a few incidents the polling was peaceful. Nayak's comments are highly misplaced. He is acting in a partisan manner with pre-conceived notions to destabilise elections in the state and create a fear psychosis among voters," Bakshi said in the letter.

Nayak has political and organisational allegiance to the RSS and is connected to BJP leaders. His statements clearly indicate that he has acted as per instructions of his political bosses, he said.

"It is therefore requested to immediately recall him or cancel his appointment as a special observer in the state of West Bengal to ensure free and fair elections," Bakshi said.

The EC has appointed Vivek Dubey as the special police observer for the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the EC has transferred Malda district Superintendent of Police Arnab Ghosh and has brought in the commanding officer of the second battalion of state armed police Ajoy Prasad in his place.

Sources said Ghosh, who was reportedly close to the Trinamool Congress administration, was under the EC scanner.

The state BJP had urged the EC to remove Ghosh a few days ago.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Election Commission special observer, Ajay V Nayak Saturday said the situation in West Bengal is similar to what it was in Bihar around 10 to 15 years ago and had lead to the voters' demand for deployment of central forces in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The Election Commission special observer, Ajay V Nayak Saturday said the situation in West Bengal is similar to what it was in Bihar around 10 to 15 years ago and had lead to the voters' demand for deployment of central forces in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The ruling Trinamool Congress demanded his immediate removal, claiming that Nayak has allegiance to the RSS and the BJP and is acting as per their orders. The people of West Bengal have lost faith in the state police and therefore their demand for deployment of central forces at all polling booths has increased, Nayak, who is the former Bihar chief electoral officer, said. The situation in Bihar has improved and less number of central forces are required there now, he told newsmen at the office of the West Bengal chief electoral officer here. Nayak, a 1984-batch IAS officer, was recently given the responsibility to oversee the last five phases of polls in West Bengal. "This situation in West Bengal is similar to what it was in Bihar around 10 to 15 years ago. During that time in Bihar total deployment of central forces at the booths was required. Now it is required in West Bengal as the people of West Bengal have lost faith in the state police and are seeking deployment of central forces at all the booths," he told reporters. "I cannot understand that if people in Bihar were able to bring in a change in the atmosphere and situation there, then why this is not happening in West Bengal," Nayak said in the presence of state Chief Electoral Officer Ariz Aftab. He said that in the third phase of polling on April 23, 324 companies of central forces would be deployed to cover more than 92 per cent of the polling booths in five Lok Sabha constituencies. Balurghat, Malda North, Malda South, Jangipur and Murshidabad parliamentary constituencies will go to the polls on April 23. Nayak, however, sounded hopeful that the state may require less central force by next Parliamentary elections. "In terms of election management, things are improving in West Bengal. So I am sure by the time of next Parliamentary elections it will not require this kind of central force deployment. I am sure about that," Nayak said. In the first phase on April 11, central forces were deployed in 51 per cent of the booths in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar seats and 194 companies covered 80 per cent of the booths in Raiganj, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri in the second phase on April 18. In the first phase, there were reports of booth capturing, smashing of EVMs and intimidation. Similar incidents were reported in the second phase from Chopra in Darjeeling constituency and also from Islampur in Raiganj constituency. There were also reports of damage to the vehicle of sitting CPI-M MP Mohammed Salim at Raiganj. Nayak said no negligence was found after scrutiny of the pollings in the first phase and there will be no repoll in the constituencies where voting was held on the day. The special observer, however, did not dismiss chances of repolling in some booths where polling was held in the second phase. TMC secretary general Subrata Bakshi wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora demanding the immediate removal of Nayak to ensure free and fair polls in the state. "The Election Commission after two phases of polling had said, barring a few incidents the polling was peaceful. Nayak's comments are highly misplaced. He is acting in a partisan manner with pre-conceived notions to destabilise elections in the state and create a fear psychosis among voters," Bakshi said in the letter. Nayak has political and organisational allegiance to the RSS and is connected to BJP leaders. His statements clearly indicate that he has acted as per instructions of his political bosses, he said. "It is therefore requested to immediately recall him or cancel his appointment as a special observer in the state of West Bengal to ensure free and fair elections," Bakshi said. The EC has appointed Vivek Dubey as the special police observer for the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. Meanwhile, the EC has transferred Malda district Superintendent of Police Arnab Ghosh and has brought in the commanding officer of the second battalion of state armed police Ajoy Prasad in his place. Sources said Ghosh, who was reportedly close to the Trinamool Congress administration, was under the EC scanner. The state BJP had urged the EC to remove Ghosh a few days ago.

Situation in Bengal like Bihar 15 years ago: Election Commission special observer; TMC demands his removal

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Campaigning ends for seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bengal

Situation in Bengal like Bihar 15 years ago: Election Commission special observer; TMC demands his removal