March 23, 2025 05:20 pm (IST)
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Bengal polls: Second phase election underway
Kolkata, Apr 17 (IBNS): The second phase polling of the crucial West Bengal Assembly polls is underway on Sunday.
Polling is being conducted in 56 assembly constituencies in seven districts, including Alipurduar (5 seats), Jalpaiguri (7 seats), Darjeeling (6 seats), North Dinajpur (9 seats), South Dinajpur (6 seats), Maldah (12 seats) and Birbhum (11 seats).
About 383 candidates including 33 women are in fray in the 56 constituencies.
Number of voters in these constituencies are nearly 1 crore 22 lakh (Exact figure: 1,21,41, 609 total voters, including 58,91,717 women, 62,49,713 men and 179 transgender or third gender).
Number of polling stations are 13,645 in this phase. Seven constituencies of total 11 in Birbhum district are in LWE (Left Wing Extremism) zone. Time of polling in these constituencies is 7 am. to 4 pm. In all other constituencies, it's 7 am. to 6 pm.
Micro observers are present continuously in 675 booths and web casting is being conducted in 157 booths. For constant observation, 1516 CCTV cameras, including 367 in Birbhum and 289 in Maldah, in several booths have been set.
According to ECI sources, close to 750 companies of CPF (110 companies in Birbhum dist. only) are providing security during polls. As many as 110 Response Teams, 131 Quick Response Teams (QRT), 196 Radio Flying Squads, 94 Heavy Radio Flying Squads and 797 Mobile Surveillance Vehicles are kept ready in this phase. All are comprising of CPF personnel.
The EC also confirmed that helicopter will not be used for surveillance. TMC Birbhum dist. president Anubrata Mondal is being kept under 24x7 surveillance until the election process is over (Till May 22).
(Inputs by Deepayan Sinha)
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