Polling in Samsherganj & Jangipur postponed to May 16

Kolkata: Amid demands for changing the poll date in view of Eid –Ul- Fitr, the Election Commission on Thursday rescheduled polls on Samsherganj and Jangipur seats in Murshidabad to May 16 (Sunday).Earlier, voting in these two seats were postponed after two nominees of Sanjukta Morcha succumbed to Covid-19.

Initially, the elections in both these seats were scheduled to be held on April 26 during the seventh phase of polls. On April 15, the Congress candidate from Samsherganj Rezaul Haque died due to Covid. Two days later, Sanjukta Morcha-supported RSP candidate from Jangipur seat, Pradip Nandi, also succumbed to the infection.

On April 19, the Commission first rescheduled the poll date to May 13. However, the poll panel received requests from various quarters seeking further re- scheduling of the poll as the date was likely to coincide with Eid –Ul- Fitr. A number of political parties in the state had urged the Commission to reschedule the poll date.

The Commission has also notified that the election should be completed on the two seats by May 21.