Voting for West Bengal Panchayat polls begins
Kolkata, May 14 (IBNS): Under the shadow of violence, voting for the Panchayat (local bodies) polls in West Bengal is currently underway.
People are voting to elect 38,616 representatives across rural West Bengal.
Voting began at 7 am on Monday.
Amid tight security, long queues could be seen outside polling booths in several districts of the state.
The key battle in the state is expected to take place between the Trinamool Congress, BJP, and the Left Front.
Results of the poll will be declared on May 17.
Earlier the State Election Commission (SEC) had directed a three-phase poll on May 1, 3 and 5.
After the opposition parties moved Calcutta High Court over the pre-poll violence allegedly indulged by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), the dates were cancelled delayingthe election procedures.
The state government and the Muslim community had appealed to the SEC to hold the election in a single phase, considering the beginning of Ramadan in mid-May.
Ramadan, the ninth month of Muslim calendar, is widely celebrated by Muslims by fasting.
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