New Delhi, Polling concluded peacefully today across 11,860 Polling Stations spread over 35 Assembly Constituencies, in the last phase of elections in the State of West Bengal. Voters enthusiastically participated, following Covid appropriate behaviour as per laid down protocols of sanitization and social distancing. Voter Turnout of 76.07 % was reported by 5 PM for the last Phase of elections today.
The Commission laid out elaborate security plans to ensure violence free and safe conduct of elections. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) along with the local police force were deployed to ensure peaceful, intimidation free and conducive atmosphere for the smooth conduct of elections in a free, fair, inclusive and accessible manner.
The Commission has also been laying specific emphasis on inducement free elections and curbing the malaise of undue money power, liquor, freebies. During the ongoing elections till this phase in West Bengal, a record seizure of Rs. 339.45 Crores has been reported till date.
In the Phase VIII of West Bengal Assembly Elections, the total number of PwD electors and 80+ electors are 72,094 and 1,12,440 respectively. A total of 11,860 Ballot Units (BUs), 11,860 Control Units(CUs) and 11,860 VVPATs were used in West Bengal during this phase. 6,074 (51.21%) out of 11,860 polling stations were monitored live through webcasting.
All the Polling Stations followed COVID-19 Safety protocols To control the spread of Coronavirus, the Election Commission had invoked powers under Article 324 to curtail the timing of campaign. The Commission further banned and withdrew the permission already granted for roadshow, padyatra, cycle, bike, vehicle rally, public meeting with more than 500 people at one place subject to adhering of COVID guidelines.
The Commission also wrote to political parties to abide by laid down covid protocols for campaigns and instructed District authorities to take necessary action under extant rules in case of any violations and to cancel permission for campaigns in such instances. The Commission reiterated the powers to District Election Officers and Returning Officers to cancel the public meetings and rallies if violations are observed.
A total of 11,860 Ballot Units (BUs), 11,860 Control Units(CUs) and 11,860 VVPATs were used in West Bengal during this phase. As per standard procedure all these EVMs and VVPATs had already undergone First Level Checking, Randomisation, and Commissioning in the presence of Political Parties/Candidates agents. During FLC and during commissioning each of these EVMs and VVPATs had undergone mock polls. Non functioning rate of EVMs and VVPATs during the poll was comparable to what was experienced in the last few polls.
As a major push for conducting free and fair elections, live monitoring and webcasting of more than 50% of Polling Stations including critical and vulnerable polling booths had been put in place as per Commission’s norms, to ensure a safe and secure atmosphere in polling areas. Commission, CEOs, DEOs, Observers could watch live streaming and keep a close watch on these polling booths.
During the ongoing elections till this phase in West Bengal, a record seizure of Rs. 339.45 Crores has already been reported till today. The seizure figures, which includes seizure of cash, liquor, narcotics, freebies etc., is 7.65 times of the total seizure of Rs. 44.33 Crores in General Election to Legislative Assembly, 2016. The Commission has been laying specific emphasis on inducement free elections and curbing the malaise of undue money power, liquor, freebies.
For effective monitoring a total 1137 Flying Squads (FS) and 1012 Static Surveillance Teams (SST) were operationalised to check movement of cash, liquor, drugs & freebies in the State closely supervised by DEOs, Expenditure Observers in Districts and Special Observers. A total three Air Intelligence Units (AIU) of IT Department are also set at different stations in Kolkata, Andal in Durgapur and Bagdogra in West Bengal.
The progressive seizure of all five States/UT and bye-elections where assembly elections have been/are being held, as on date is Rs. 1042.05 Crore (this includes seizures of Rs. 12.11 Crore in bye-elections also)
Election Commission of India’s cVIGIL App is a citizen centric mobile application which empowers people to report cases of MCC violations in real time basis, with auto populated details of location and responded within 100 minutes after verification at field level.
A total number of about 28,054 cases of Model Code of Conduct violations for West Bengal were reported through the cVIGIL app out of which 28,012 cases were disposed as of today (4:00 PM)
