West Bengal Assembly Elections: Voting begins for 5th phase under Covid shadow

Ahead of the polls on Saturday, West Bengal reported 6,910 recent coronavirus instances and 26 deaths within the final 24 hours.

The polling started at 7 am on Saturday for 45 meeting seats amid tight safety. More than one crore voters are eligible to train their franchise to determine the political destiny of 342 candidates.

Long queues have been seen exterior polling cubicles the place voting is underway adhering to coronavirus tips.

The polling will proceed until 6:30 pm immediately.

Here are the highest 10 updates on 5th phase voting in Bengal:

1) Over 1 crore individuals will vote within the fifth phase of the West Bengal Assembly election.

2) Voting might be held at 15,789 polling stations within the 45 constituencies.

3) This phase of the elections will witness an intense battle within the 13 constituencies of North Bengal, together with 5 in Darjeeling, one in Kalimpong, and 7 in Jalpaiguri.

4) The Election Commission has determined to deploy a minimum of 853 corporations of central forces to make sure free and truthful voting.

5) Security measures have been heightened for the fifth phase in view of the violence within the earlier phase, which witnessed the loss of life of 5 individuals in Cooch Behar district, together with 4 in CISF firing.

6) These 45 seats are unfold throughout districts like North 24 Parganas, Purba Bardhaman, Nadia, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

7) Prominent names within the fifth phase of Bengal election embody Siliguri Mayor and Left Front chief Ashok Bhattacharya, state ministers Gautam Deb and Bratya Basu and BJP’s Samik Bhattacharya.

8) The 45 seats the place polling might be held on Saturday are: Dhupguri (SC), Maynaguri (SC), Jalpaiguri (SC), Rajganj (SC), Abgram-Fulbari, Mal (ST), Nagrakata (ST), Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Kurseong, Matigara-Naxalbari (SC), Siliguri, Phansidewa (ST), Santipur, Ranaghat Uttar Paschim, Krishnaganj (SC), Ranaghat Uttar Purba (SC), Ranaghat Dakshin (SC), Chakdaha, Kalyani (SC), Haringhata (SC), Panihati, Kamarhati, Baranagar, Dum Dum, Rajarhat New Town, Bidhannagar, Rajarhat Gopalpur, Madhyamgram, Barasat, Deganga, Haroa, Minakhan (SC), Sandeshkhali (ST), Basirhat Dakshin, Basirhat Uttar, Hingalganj (SC), Khandaghosh (SC), Bardhaman Dakshin, Raina (SC), Jamalpur (SC), Monteswar, Kalna (SC), Memari and Bardhaman Uttar (SC).

9) Campaigning for the fifth phase ended on Wednesday with the EC having elevated the ‘silence interval’ from 48 to 72 hours in view of the Cooch Behar violence.

10) The first 4 phases have been held on 27 March, 1 April, 6 April and 10 April, respectively. The sixth phase of the state meeting polls is scheduled for 22 April. The counting of votes will happen on 2 May.