The ruling Trinamool Congress has strongly objected to the Election Commission of India announcing a seven-phase polling schedule for West Bengal in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying the poll body did not take into account the state government’s views recommending single phase voting.
The 42 Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal will be voting in all seven phases, beginning April 19, along with Uttar Pradesh (80 seats) and Bihar (40 seats). The last phase of polling is on June 1, and the votes will be counted on June 4.
“We have seen that voter turnout is more if there are fewer phases. That’s why we demanded single phase polling. Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are also big states, but they are voting in one phase. Then why so many phases for Bengal? This is nothing but a tactic to spread fear,” TMC minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said.
TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray claimed that this was a disregard for the federal structure of the country. “State government’s views were not taken into account. This is a disregard for the federal structure. We fail to understand the reasons for holding such a long election. This is quite surprising,” he said.
The TMC also questioned the alleged hurried appointment of two election commissioners earlier this week after Arun Goel quit as election commissioner. “They appointed election commissioners in one day. How is that possible? If one team playing the match appoints the umpire, how do we know the umpire will not be biased?” asked Bhattacharya.
According to TMC sources, the Mamata Banerjee-led party will project the seven-phase polling as a ploy to defame Bengal as a violent state. It will also stress on its claim that parties with deeper pockets are at an advantage over others when it comes to multi-phased polling. It will also point out that other states with similar geographical size and sending around the same number of MPs to the Lok Sabha are voting in a single phase.
The BJP, on the other hand, welcomed the polling schedule.
“We are happy, but the way voters are intimidated here in Bengal, there should be more phases. Muscle power will not work this time that is clear,” said BJP state president Sukanto Majumdar.
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, too, welcomed the schedule. “During Panchayat elections, I presented myself before the full bench of the Election Commission and requested that they help people cast their votes. I am happy so many phases have been given (to Bengal).”
Sources in the EC cited violence during previous general and local elections in the state as the reason for seven-phased polling in Bengal.
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