Last phase of polls today in 35 seats

KOLKATA: The stage is set for the eighth and last phase of polls on Thursday, in which 35 Assembly constituencies (AC) spread across four districts will be going to polls. About 283 candidates from different political parties are in the fray during the last phase of polls that includes 6 constituencies in Malda, 11 in Murshidabad, 7 in Kolkata North and 11 in Birbhum. As many as 35 candidates are female.

During the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, among the 35 Assembly constituencies, TMC took a lead in 19 seats. BJP led in 11 seats while Congress had a lead in five.

The total number of electorates, including service voters in these constituencies, is 8493255 with 4370693 male electors and 4122403 female voters. The total number of polling booths is 11860, including 9216 main and 2644 auxiliary booths. The number of 80 plus voters is 112440 while 72094 are PWD (Persons with Disabilities) voters.

The total number of service electors is 14981, third gender voters are 159 while there are 10 overseas voters.

As per data provided by the Election Commission, the 6 ACs in Malda include Manikchak, Malda (SC), English Bazar, Mothabari, Sujapur, and Baishnabnagar, 11 in Murshidabad comprise Khargram (SC), Burwan (SC), Kandi, Bharatpur, Rejinagar, Beldanga, Baharampur, Hariharpara, Nowda, Domkal and Jalangi, 7 in North Kolkata are Chowrangee, Entally, Beliaghata, Jorasanko, Shyampukur, Maniktala, and Kashipur- Belgachia while 11 in Birbhum are Dubrajpur (SC), Suri, Bolpur, Nanoor (SC), Labpur, Sainthia (SC), Mayureshwar, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati, and Murarai.

Elections for the Baishnabnagar seat in Malda will be held on Thursday as per schedule despite the death of Independent candidate Samir Ghosh. As per Commission rules, elections need not be postponed in this case as Ghosh did not belong to any registered political party.

Voting at 126 booths at Amtali Madhyamik Siksha Kendra at Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar will also be held on Thursday. During the fourth phase of polls held on April 10, four persons were killed in firing by Central forces near the polling booth at Sitalkuchi and the Commission had declared voting at that particular polling station to be void.

The Election Commission has deployed 24 General Observers, 9 Expenditure Observers and 9 Police Observers for the 7th phase of polls. There will be webcasting facilities in 50 per cent of the booths and Micro Observers will be deployed in 20 per cent of the booths.

The Commission will deploy 646 companies of the Central forces during the last phase with Birbhum having the highest deployment of 225 companies for its 11 constituencies.

As many as 215 companies of Central forces will be deployed in all 11 constituencies in Murshidabad, 110 companies for the 6 constituencies in Malda while North Kolkata will have the lowest deployment of 96 companies for its seven constituencies.

Though 11,860 booths will be manned by 646 companies with an average of 5.4 companies per booth but individually Murshidabad will have the highest concentration of 5.9 personnel per booth for its 3796 booths followed by Birbhum that will have a concentration of 5.7 personnel per booth for its 3908 booths. There will be 5.3 personnel per booth for the 2073 booths in Malda. North Kolkata will have the lowest concentration of only 4.6 personnel per booth for its 2083 booths. Sources in the commission said the remaining 107 companies of the Central forces will be used primarily for the manning of the strong rooms and maintaining law and order in the districts where there is no election.