Election Commission rings assembly poll bells

The assembly poll bells tolled in four Indian states, including the most-watched and politically volatile West Bengal, and a union territory with the Election Commission on Tuesday announcing the dates of polling in April-May.

The dates included a six phase staggered poll in West Bengal which will see a crucial assembly election between April 18 and May 10 when the ruling communists’ over 34-year-old rule will be up for a litmus test before the growing strength of Trinamool Congress in alliance with the Congress.

The five states/UT are Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry (Union Territory) and West Bengal.

Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will go to polls the same day on April 13.

The date of counting is May 13 for all states, said Chief Election Commissioner S Y Qureshi announcing the dates.

The dates are:

Six phase polls in West Bengal on April 18, 23, 27, May 3, May 7 and May 10.
Two phase polls in Assam on April 4 and April 11
Single phase poll in Kerala on April 13.
Single phase poll in Puducherry on April 13
Single phase poll in Tamil Nadu on April 13

The polls in West Bengal is staggered owing to Maoist violence and the political tensions.

Conducting a peaceful polling in West Bengal is a challenge to the EC in view of the ongoing violence and stockpiling of arms in the villages.

West Bengal will witness polls in 294 assembly seats while the total number of constituencies in Tamil Nadu is 234.

Kerala has 140 seats while Puducherry has 30. Assam has 126.

The electoral rolls of all the existing Assembly Constituencies in the States/UT of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Assam and West Bengal have been revised, with reference to 1.1.2011 as the qualifying date, and have been finally published.

As per the final rolls, the number of electors in these States/UT are as following:

Tamil Nadu’s electorate is 4,59,50,620, Kerala’s 2,29,40,408, Puducherry 8,05,124, Assam’s 1,81,45,914 and West Bengal has the highest of 5,60,91,973.

Polling Stations in the poll going States/UT of Puducherry are as follows: Tamil Nadu 54016, Kerala 20758, Assam 23813, West Bengal 51919 and Puducherry 851

In these elections, for the first time, in accordance with the recent amendment to the RP Act, overseas Indian citizens have been enabled to be enrolled as voters and would be able to vote in person.

“We welcome the announcement of dates. It will be a historic poll in Bengal when the communists will be thrown out,” said Trinamool Congress chief and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Left Front chairman Biman Bose said he welcomed the six-phase polling and stressed on holding a peaceful election in West Bengal.

Election Officials have been suitably instructed to facilitate the process of their registration as voters.

The polling stations will be using Electronic Voting Machines (EVM)s. The Commission has already made arrangements to ensure availability of adequate number of EVMs for smooth conduct of elections.

According to EC, based on the assessment of the ground situation, Central Police Forces (CPF) and State Armed Police (SAP) drawn from other States will be deployed during the elections.

The Commission will deploy General Observers in adequate number to ensure smooth conduct of elections.

The Observers will be asked to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections. T

The Commission has also decided to appoint adequate number of Expenditure Observers and Assistant Expenditure Observers who will exclusively monitor the election expenditure of the contesting candidates.

For Greater transparency and for ease of monitoring of Election Expenses, candidates would be required to open a bank account and incur their election expenses from that very account.

The Model Code of Conduct comes into effect immediately from now onwards.

All the provisions of the Model Code will apply to the whole of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Assam and West Bengal and will be applicable to all candidates, political parties of the states and UT from Mar 1 itself, the EC said.