The upcoming West Bengal assembly elections are anticipated to be conducted in two phases to effectively manage law and order and prevent potential poll-related violence, according to the Election Commission.
Key Points
- West Bengal assembly elections are likely to be held in two phases to manage law and order.
- Most political parties, except TMC, favoured one or two-phased elections during meetings with the Election Commission.
- A two-phase election aims to reduce poll-related violence by limiting the movement of miscreants.
- The Election Commission is prioritising law and order during the pre and post-election periods in West Bengal.
- While a single-phase election is possible, the current situation makes it unlikely for West Bengal.
The West Bengal assembly polls are likely to be held in two phases, a senior official of the Election Commission said on Thursday.
He said the final decision will be made after another round of meetings at the EC's New Delhi office.
"The assembly elections to 294 seats in West Bengal will most likely be held in two phases from next month," the official said.
Most political parties in the state, barring the ruling TMC, had sought one or two-phased elections during their recent meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Kolkata, he said, adding similar suggestions were made by other officials, including those from security forces.
Rationale for Two-Phase Elections
"Conducting assembly elections in West Bengal in two phases would help check poll-related violence as miscreants would not get the time to move from one place to another to create disturbances. This factor will also be considered before taking the final call," he said.
On whether polling in West Bengal will be conducted in a single phase, he said, "We had conducted the assembly elections in Maharashtra, which has 288 seats, in one phase in 2024. It is not an impossible task to conduct a single-phase election in West Bengal, but this time, it is very unlikely."
Law and Order Concerns
The official said law and order in West Bengal during the election remained a major concern for the EC and senior officials of the state government have assured the poll body of tight vigil during pre and post-poll periods.
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