Bus operators seek ‘10-phase Assembly polls’

Kolkata: An apex body of bus and minibus owners’ associations in Bengal on Thursday urged the Election Commission to hold the upcoming Assembly elections in 10 phases, saying this would enable better mobilisation of private stage carriages and ensure smoother conduct of the polls.

At present, around 20,000 stage carriages are operated by private players across the state, while about 5,100 buses and minibuses ply in the city and its surrounding areas, most of which are requisitioned by the authorities for poll-related purposes.

The Secretary of West Bengal Bus and Minibus Owners’ Association reportedly said that a single bus is requisitioned for at least three days.

“We have met a Deputy CEO ranked official and explained the reason behind our demand to him,” he said.

The association also demanded hiking the one-time rate of hiring buses by the EC from Rs 2,510 at present to Rs 3,200 for each vehicle and early release of the amount on a 70-30 per cent basis. For mini buses, the fare should be hiked from Rs 1,900 to Rs 2,800, it said.

The 2021 Assembly polls were conducted in eight phases in the state, while the Lok Sabha elections were held in seven phases in 2024.