Assembly polls: 5-phase in W Bengal, 3 in Kerala

The CEC said the poll schedule has been drawn up after assessing various factors like school examinations and regional festivals.”Ground situation”, availability of central paramilitary forces and the Naxalite threat in large areas, was cited by Tandon as the factors that accounted for the unprecendent five-phase elections — on April 17, 22, 27, May 3 and 8 — in West Bengal.

The Commission has been rather active in the Left-ruled state in the last few months. Huge numbers of bogus voters have been removed from electoral rolls and now an unprecedented five-phase polling. “We want to have a good and peaceful poll in all the states,” Tandon said, justifying the special attention given to West Bengal.

Known for its clean and violence-free polls, Kerala for the first time will have a three-phase Assembly elections — on April 22, 29 and May 3.”We were informed by the state administration that there are many vacancies in the state police force, and, therefore we had to go for a three day polling,” Tandon said.

Tamil Nadu will have a single day polling on May 8. Tandon said all parties in the state had unitedly demanded a single day polling in the state, to which the EC’s own assessment tallied.

However, in Pondicherry, elections in 27 constituencies will be held on May 8. However, polls in Mahe, which adjoins Kerala, Yamam, adjoining Andhra Pradesh, and Palloor will be held on May 3.

Keeping in mind the Bihu festival, the Assam elections have been scheduled for April 3 and April 10. While Assam has a 126-member Assembly, Kerala has 140, Tamil Nadu 234, West Bengal 294 and Pondicherry only 30.

Admitting that he was “not very happy” with the progress in issuance of photo identity cards in Tamil Nadu, Tandon said it was almost cent per cent in Kerala and Pondicherry and 92.13 per cent in West Bengal. The programme in Assam could not be started due to various reasons, he added.

“The polls will be extensively videographed,” Tandon said, adding that digital cameras would be installed inside the booths depending upon their availability.