Bengal Elections: EC Rules Out Merging Last 2 Phases Of Polling

Kolkata: The Election Commission (EC) said on Wednesday that it had received no proposal to merge the last two phases of the ongoing West Bengal assembly election.

It was reported in a section of the media that that poll observers had written to EC last week saying that phases 7 and 8 of polling in the state could be merged if extra security forces were provided, keeping in mind the spiralling COVID cases in the state and country.

Five phases have so far been conducted. The sixth round of polling will be held on April 22, followed by April 26 and 29.

“EC has neither received a letter from observers, nor is EC mulling any proposal to club the phases,” Hindustan Times quoted an Election Commission spokesperson as saying.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged the EC to consider merging the last few phases of polls, citing the alarming COVID situation. Trinamool Congress had made their demand official, by writing to EC on Tuesday.