Record 20 candidates to contest from Raiganj LS seat

Kolkata: A record 20 candidates with as many as 10 Independents will be contesting from Raiganj Parliamentary constituency that goes for polls during the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26, along with Darjeeling and Balurghat. About 14 candidates, including five Independents, will be contesting from Darjeeling while 13 will be in the fray from Balurghat, as per information shared by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (Bengal). However, the withdrawal of candidature for the second phase is scheduled on Monday. The total number of voters for Darjeeling, Raiganj and Balurghat are 1763443, 1789107 and 1560769 respectively. The total number of polling stations, including the auxiliary ones, in the three districts are 1999, 1730 and 1569 respectively.

A total of 88 Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) in 12 states/UTs along with one part PC (Outer Manipur) will go to polls in this phase scheduled to be held on April 26.

Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and part of Manipur will also have polls during phase 2. Meanwhile, the Election Commission, on Sunday, engaged four expenditure observers in the state for elections in four PCs and one Assembly by-election in the state. These observers will be responsible for monitoring the expenditure of those constituencies that will be going for polls during the third phase.

In the third phase Malda South, Malda North, Murshidabad and Jangipur seats will be going for polls scheduled on May 7.

The Bhagwangola Assembly seat will also have by elections on the same date.