News Analysis India

Tag: Election Commission

  • Eight-phase Bengal polls: Three ex-CECs back election body amid Opposition outcry

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: As the EC’s decision to hold assembly elections in West Bengal in eight phases triggered sharp criticism from the state chief minister and others, two former chief election commissioners on Friday justified the move, saying that the decision must have been based on a law and order situation assessment while another CEC advocated single-phase election given that rumours fly thick and fast in this age of social media.

    Referring to seven-phase voting in West Bengal during 2016 assembly polls, former CECs –O P Rawat and N Gopalaswami– noted that whenever the EC feels there is enhanced security requirements based on ground realities, it takes these precautions.

    Though he noted that the EC’s decision must be based on its assessment of the law and order situation and availability of security forces, S Y Quraishi, who was the CEC from July 30, 2010 to June 10, 2012, said in the age of social media wherein all kinds of rumours fly thick and fast during elections, there should be an attempt to reduce the duration and number of phases.

    “Ideally, it should be a single-phase election,” he added.

    The Election Commission on Friday announced the poll schedule for five assemblies –Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry– with West Bengal to have the maximum eight phases from March 27.

    Immediately after the announcement, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the EC decision and said she suspects that the dates were announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for better management of the BJP’s poll campaign.

    Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar also attacked the EC, alleging that the poll panel has tried to help the BJP.

    “I believe it has been done deliberately and in a way, the EC has tried to help the BJP. They (BJP) feel that it will help them, but it will not as far as I know about the people of Bengal. They are revolutionary in nature. They may deviate for some time but ultimately, Bengal is Bengal,” Anwar said.

    Justifying the poll panel’s decision, Rawat said,”the EC in its own wisdom might have felt this time it is more contentious and so more security measures required. Accordingly, it has decided to hold the elections in eight phases.”

    Rawat, who joined the poll panel in 2015 and retired as the CEC in December 2018, said, “whenever the Commission feels there is requirement of more security so that nobody faces any problem, it takes those precautions.

    Asserting that it was for the EC, based on ground realities, to assess, Gopalaswami, who headed the poll panel from 30 June 2006 to 20 April 2009, said look at the number of polling stations (in West Bengal) which have been increased due to Covid (distancing norms), one will get the answer.

    “You need forces. West Bengal is much bigger in size and needs a higher number of central forces. The total number of polling stations in West Bengal is 1,01,916 instead of 77,413 in 2016 polls — an increase of 31.65 per cent. Due to COVID norms, the number of voters per polling station has been restricted to 1000 from 1500,” he added.

    Quraishi said the commission’s decision to hold the election in eight phases spread over a month must be based on its assessment of the law and order situation and availability of security forces.

    “Bengal has the tradition of multi-phase elections,” he said, adding that there is not much difference between seven and eight phases.

    Quraishi, however, advocated holding elections in a single phase.

    “In the age of social media wherein all kinds of rumours fly thick and fast, there will be an attempt to reduce the duration of elections and number of phases. With more paramilitary forces being available , one hope as soon as possible the number of phases will be reduced. Ideally, it should be a single-phase election,” he said.

    The EC said the assembly polls in 294 constituencies in West Bengal will be held in eight phases between March 27 and April 29.

    The counting of votes will take place on May 2, along with that of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

    Polling in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will be held in one phase on April 6, while Assam will go to polls in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6.

    Reacting to the EC’s decision, Banerjee said, “with all due respect to the Commission, I want to say that questions are being raised on why elections will be held in so many phases in Bengal while other states will be voting in one phase. If EC doesn’t provide justice to the people, where will the people go.”

    “I have information from my sources that the poll dates are similar to the ones BJP wanted. Have the dates been announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah? The PM and the home minister cannot misuse their power for the state elections,” she claimed.

  • Eight-phase Bengal polls keeping in mind festivals, deployment of forces: Officials

    Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said when the EC assesses the law-and-order situation, it is based on several factors.

  • No postal ballot facility for overseas Indian voters in state polls as EC to consult to stakeholders

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Eligible overseas Indian voters will not get the facility of postal ballots in the five assembly elections to be held in March and April as the government wants the Election Commission to consult various stakeholders before the facility is rolled out.

    Responding to a question on whether the facility of Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) would be extended to overseas voters in the assembly elections to West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora replied in a negative.

    “As far as NRI voters are concerned, the commission (EC) has sent a very empathetic and very positive note to the Law Ministry over a month-and-a-half back over finding a way out for that. The law ministry referred it to the Ministry of External Affairs. I spoke to the foreign secretary also. They have responded in detail and they have said we should have a broad spectrum meeting of the stakeholders,” Arora said.

    He said the meeting could take place within a month.

    Asked if the facility would be available in the five assembly polls, Arora said, “No.”

    Arora was addressing a press conference to announce the dates of elections to the five assemblies.

    As of now, overseas Indians are free to cast their votes in constituencies they are registered.

    Unofficial data with the Election Commission (EC) shows that only 10,000-12,000 overseas voters have exercised their franchise.

    The EC has proposed to the government to extend the ETPBS facility, so far available only to service voters, to eligible overseas Indian voters as well.

    In a letter to the legislative secretary in the Law Ministry on November 27 last year, the commission said that with the successful execution of ETPBS in case of service voters, it is now “confident” that the facility can also be extended to the overseas electors.

    “The commission is technically and administratively ready to extend this facility in general elections to legislative assemblies of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry,” the poll panel had said.

    The EC said it has been receiving several representations from the Indian diaspora residing abroad to facilitate voting through postal ballots since such overseas electors are not in a position to be present in their polling area as travelling to India for this purpose is a costly affair, and otherwise also, they cannot leave the country of their residence owing to specific compulsions of employment, education or other engagements.

    “Due to protocols associated with COVID-19, the problem further gets compounded,” the letter to the Law Ministry said.

    Voting for the five assembly elections will begin on March 27, with West Bengal having eight phases continuing till April 29, while counting of votes will be done on May 2, the Election Commission said.

  • Bengal poll schedule fixed to please Modi and Shah, alleges Mamata

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her discontent over the Election Commission’s decision on eight-phase polls in the state. She accused the Centre of controlling the schedule.

    “I respect ECI’s decision. I have information from my sources that poll dates are similar to the ones BJP wanted. It is to help whom? Is it to satisfy Modi and Shah? The PM and the Home Minister cannot misuse their power for the state elections,” Mamata alleged shortly after the ECI announced the poll schedule.

    The Bengal CM raised question on dividing the Assembly constituencies located in a same district and conducting polls there in different phases. “Why there are break-ups in the districts? South 24 Parganas is our stronghold. Voting there will be held in three different phases,” she said.

    ALSO READ | EC announces poll dates: TN, Kerala, Bengal, Assam and Puducherry results on May 2

    Expressing her confidence to retain Bengal, Mamata said, “We are common people. We will fight our battle. We request the EC to stop the misuse of the money. I am the daughter of Bengal. I know the state better than BJP. I will win the election even after the poll will be conducted in eight phases.”

    Mamata, on several occasions, hit out the saffron camp accusing it of spreading money and bribing electorates to cast their votes in favour of the party.   

    CPI(M) politburo member Mohammad Salim said the eight-phase schedule in Bengal would facilitate the BJP. “The deployment of central force is an eyewash. Despite the presence of heavy deployment of central forces, large-scale violence took place during the previous elections,” he said.

    BJP’s state general secretary Shamik Bhattacharya said the party is all set to participate in the upcoming elections. “Those questioning the ECI’s decision of conducting the poll in eight phases are actually scared of their defeat,” he said.

  • EC announces poll dates: TN, Kerala, Bengal, Assam and Puducherry results on May 2

    By Online Desk
    The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the Assembly elections for  Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bengal, Assam and Puducherry on Friday.

    The results of all the elections will be known on May 2. West Bengal will have an unprecedented eight-phase election, TN, Kerala and Puducherry single-phase elections, and Assam a three-phase election.

    Polls are to be held for 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam, and 30 seats in Puducherry. 

    Here is the schedule

    STATE / UT (number of seats) 
    NUMBER OF PHASES
    POLLING DATES
    COUNTING DATE
    Tamil Nadu (234 seats) 
    Single-phase
    April 6
    May 2
    Kerala (140 seats)Malappuram by-poll
    Single-phase
    April 6
    May 2
    West Bengal (294 seats)
    Eight-phase
    Phase1- March 27Phase 2- April 1Phase 3- April 6Phase 4- April 10Phase 5- April 17 Phase 6- April 22Phase 7- April 26Phase 8- April 29
    May 2
    Assam (126 seats) 
    Three-phase
    Phase 1- March 27Phase 2- April 1Phase 3- April 6
    May 2
    Puducherry (30 seats)
    Single-phase
    April 6
    May 2
    Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora in his press conference in New Delhi paid tribute to COVID warriors.

    Arora said, “Our tributes to the COVID warriors, doctors, paramedics, nurses, researchers, scientists and all our officials on election duty who are located on the frontline.

    “In the thick of the pandemic, ECI started test trials with elections to 18 seats to Rajya Sabha. After that, came the challenge of the Bihar elections, it was indeed a watershed moment for ECI. It proved to be a litmus test.” 

    The CEC further added that a total of 824 assembly constituencies will be going to the polls during these elections. 18.68 crore electors are eligible to cast their vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations in the four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry. 

    Among some key points announced by the CEC were the extension of voting time by one hour like in the Bihar polls, door-to-door campaigning being restricted to five people and the allowing of roadshows, subject to COVID protocols being followed. 

    #Breaking: Kerala Assembly elections 2021. @ECISVEEP says Kerala will have 40,711 polling stations, up from 21,794 in 2016. @NewIndianXpress
    — TNIE Kerala (@xpresskerala) February 26, 2021

    Critical police stations have been identified and adequate security arrangements have been made. CCTV monitoring and webcasting will be done in all critical and vulnerable polling stations, Arora said, further adding that all the poll officials will be vaccinated against COVID-19 before elections for the five assemblies.

    Model code of conduct comes into force in all five States including Tamil Nadu which are going to polls; Tamil Nadu to have 88,936 polling stations, says Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora @xpresstn @NewIndianXpress
    — T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) February 26, 2021

    The terms of the legislative assemblies of these four states are ending in May and June. 

    In Puducherry, President’s Rule has been imposed after the V Narayanasamy-led Congress resigned earlier this week ahead of the trust vote.

  • Everyone on poll duty to get COVID-19 vaccine before assembly elections: Election Commission

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Everyone on election duty for the upcoming polls for five assemblies will be vaccinated against COVID-19 before polling day, the Election Commission said on Friday.

    Voting will take place for 126 seats in Assam, 234 in Tamil Nadu, 294 in West Bengal, 140 in Kerala and 30 in Puducherry. Nearly 18.68 crore electors will be eligible to vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations for 824 seats in five assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said at a press conference here.

    Arrangements will be put in place for candidates to file their nominations online for the five assembly polls. Voting will be allowed for an additional hour, keeping in mind COVID-19 safety guidelines, he said.

    Also, webcasting arrangements will be in place at polling stations in critical and vulnerable areas, while adequate CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) deployment will be ensured for the assembly polls, Arora said.

    He added that all critical and vulnerable areas have been identified and advance teams have been already deployed across all four states and one union territory Puducherry going to the polls. He said that door-to-door campaigning will be restricted to five persons, including the candidate, while roadshows will be allowed with a maximum of five vehicles.

    Arora said the nationwide vaccination drive has made the situation more conducive for conducting elections and the Health Ministry has declared everyone on poll duty as frontline workers for the vaccine purpose.

    Arora said that all poll officials will be vaccinated before the elections.

  • EC convenes meeting of enforcement agencies dealing with dubious transactions on March 2

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Seeking to prevent the influence of money power and drugs in the assembly polls due in four states and one union territory, the Election Commission has convened a meeting of enforcement agencies dealing mainly with dubious transactions next week.

    Official sources said the EC meeting on March 2 involving the Revenue Secretary, chairperson of Central Board of Direct Taxes, chairperson of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), and director of Financial Intelligence Unit-India will “develop a strategy to combat the pernicious effects of suspicious and illicit cash, liquor, psychotropic substances and freebies meant for inducements” in assembly elections of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

    The Commission has been adopting various strategies to prevent misuse of money, liquor and drugs during poll campaigning to induce voters.

    The terms of the legislative assemblies of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Kerala are ending in the coming months.

    Following a political crisis in Puducherry, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday recommended dissolution of the legislative assembly there.

    The term of the Puducherry assembly was to otherwise end in June.

    Elections in the four states and the union territory are likely to be held in April.

  • Polling in Covid time: Bihar model to be followed in Bengal, says official

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will follow the Bihar model, taken up last year for conducting the assembly polls amid the coronavirus pandemic, during the upcoming election in West Bengal, a senior official at the CEO office said on Tuesday.

    The ECI has already started inoculation of the officials involved with the polling and the entire process would get over before the election starts, he said.

    “Covid protocol is still applicable in West Bengal. We will stick to the protocol followed during the assembly election in Bihar,” the official said.

    Candidates for the election would also have to follow the protocols, he said.

    Officials inside polling booths will wear masks, face shields and gloves and use sanitiser on the premises.

    Once inside polling stations, voters will have their body temperatures checked, the official said.

    He said that the body temperature of a voter would be checked for a second time if the person is found having a temperature beyond the permissible limit of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

    “If the person’s body temperature is found high for the second time too, the voter will be asked to come back to cast vote in the final hour of the day (5 pm-6 pm),” he added.

    Suspected Covid-19 patients will be allowed to cast their votes only after others finish exercising their franchise.

    Electors would be provided with disposable gloves for one hand, which they will use for signing and to press the button of an EVM, the official said.

    “The gloves must be thrown to dustbins kept outside the polling stations. The bins fitted with GPS tracking devices will be taken to nearest hospitals where the gloves will be destroyed,” he said.

    Election to the 294-member West Bengal assembly is due in April-May.

  • BJP urges Election Commission to deploy only central forces for Bengal polls

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The BJP on Friday urged the Election Commission to deploy only Central Armed Police Forces for the West Bengal assembly polls to ensure “fairness, dignity and sanctity of the process”.

    A party delegation met the Election Commission (EC) and demanded that central observers oversee the state’s police and administrative machineries, including their role in the deployment of central forces, and have the final say in the electoral process.

    It made these demands alleging that the conduct of the state’s police and administrative machineries do not exhibit much confidence about their “non-political or bi-partisan conduct”, according to a memorandum submitted by the delegation.

    The delegation included BJP national general secretary Bhupender Yadav, its West Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh, MPs Swapan Dasgupta, Locket Chatterjee and Arjun Singh, besides leaders Om Pathak and Sanjay Mayukh.

    Dasgupta said they also conveyed their apprehensions about the possible misuse of the provision that allows people with disability and voters above 80 years of age to cast their votes by postal ballots.

    They could be instead given special facilities at polling booths, he suggested.

    The EC had come out with this provision last year following the outbreak of COVID-19.

    The “biased” state administration could misuse it, Dasgupta said, attacking the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal.

    A provision for separate and additional polling booths and stations for these voters can be made, he said after the delegation submitted a memorandum to the EC.

    The memorandum noted that active COVID-19 cases are declining in the country at an accelerated rate with their numbers merely 1.52 per cent of the total caseload.

    India has also launched the world’s largest inoculation drive against the infection, it said.

    This has led to the home ministry permitting all activities, including social, religious, sports, entertainment, educational and cultural activities, the memorandum stated.

    “Thus, it is safe to conclude that there has been a radical circumstantial change in the COVID-19 infection scenario in the country, wherein polling can be conduct normally at designated polling stations/booths with prescribed social distancing norms.

    Moreover, the speed and scale with which the vaccination drive is being conducted in India, postal ballots may not be required in the first place,” it said.

    The assembly polls in the state are expected to be held in April-May.

    Pitching for deploying only personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces during the polling exercise, the memorandum said the deployment of “committed state government employees on election duty will be detrimental to our averred objectives of free and fair elections”.

    It added that “there is a necessity to deploy members of only Central Armed Police Forces, duly trained to ensure the fairness, dignity and sanctity of the process. ..The police officers who have been accused of political partisanship in the past, should be strictly kept out of all poll related duties”.

  • 3 officers in Bengal Chief Electoral Officer’s office transferred ahead of assembly polls

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Election Commission on Monday transferred three senior officials of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office months before the assembly election in the state, a source said.

    The three included Additional Chief Electoral Officer Saibal Barman, an IAS officer who was in charge of model code of conduct and law and order sections.

    Joint Chief Electoral Officer Anamika Majumdar and Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Amitjyoti Bhattacharji were also transferred, the source in the CEO’s office said.

    Majumdar looked after Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and training of election workers, while Bhattacharji was responsible for handling the media cell.

    It is still not clear where the three officers were transferred or who will replace them, the source said.

    The assembly election in the state is due in April- May.