New Delhi: Refusing to club the remaining three phases of elections in West Bengal, the Election Commission on Friday, April 16, reduced the time for campaigning by three hours in view of the renewed COVID-19 crisis.
The poll panel ordered that campaigns now go on until 7 pm. Earlier the limit was 10 pm.
It also extended the silence period from 48 hours to 72 hours in each of the remaining three of the eight phases of the West Bengal assembly polls to be held on April 22, 26 and 29.
During the silence period, which is usually for 48 hours, parties and candidates cannot hold rallies and meetings.
Meanwhile the ruling Trinamool Congress was sidelined in an all-party meeting held to raise the demand of clubbed phases on April 16.
“There will be no rescheduling of the remaining phases of polling in West Bengal,” a senior official in the state CEO’s office said after the meeting.
The decision came on a day when Revolutionary Socialist Party’s Jangipur candidate Pradip Kumar Nandi died of COVID-19 at a hospital in Berhampore, the second candidate in West Bengal to fall victim to the ongoing pandemic after Congress’s Samsherganj candidate Rezaul Haque.
Political parties were asked by CEO Ariz Aftab to strictly follow the COVID-19 protocol of wearing masks and maintain physical distancing while campaigning for the remaining phases.
In the first 15 days of this month, West Bengal registered 49,970 new cases of the contagion and 151 COVID-19 fatalities.
“This meeting was not called to discuss rescheduling, though we had a request from one political party on that. (However) no decision was taken to reschedule the remaining three phases of polling,” the official told PTI.
The organisers of the public meetings and rallies will be responsible for providing the masks and sanitisers to all attending them at their cost, the official added.
The meeting was called by the CEO following a Calcutta high court directive to ensure strict implementation of COVID-related protocols amid political campaigns for the remaining phases of polling here.
The ruling Trinamool Congress had earlier on Friday at the meeting reiterated the chief ministers plea on clubbing of the last three phases of assembly elections after the fifth round is held on Saturday considering the alarming COVID situation in the state.
TMC leader Partha Chatterjee said that in order to save lives and control spread of the pandemic, the last three phases may be clubbed, while ensuring democratic rights are upheld.”
The BJP however sought continuation of the eight-phase election plan. “A level playing field has to be maintained…We have advised the Election Commission to balance the need for a robust democratic culture with safety norms, BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta said after the meeting.
The Left Front too wanted to continue with the eight- phase polling schedule. “Our point is that the schedule should be maintained,” CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Bhattacharya said.
(With PTI inputs)