Kolkata polls: Civic repoll in 36 booths of 5 districts

Kolkata Municipal corporation election live updates, Bengal polling percent live

32-33 companies of central forces for civic polls: Mamata
Kolkata, IANS) A total of 32-33 companies of the central forces are arriving in the state for Saturday's elections to 91 civic bodies, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said here on Friday.
"Our government has been informed that 32-33 companies of central force are arriving in the state. Though it's late, I thank them. We have very little time. But they have said the central forces cannot be positioned at the booths. They will only be engaged in patrolling."
"We will provide logistic support," she said.

I have given requisite advice to state poll panel: Bengal governor
Kolkata, Amid opposition allegations that the West Bengal State Election Commission has failed to conduct the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls in a free and fair manner, Governor K.N. Tripathi on Thursday said he has given the "requisite advices" to the panel head.
Tripathi summoned State Election Commissioner S.R. Upadhyay to Raj Bhavan on Wednesday and took a briefing from him about the ongoing civic polls and the steps the panel was contemplating for smooth conduct of the elections on Saturday.
91 civic bodies - 88 municipalities, two municipal corporations and a notified area - spread across 18 districts, would go to the hustings on Saturday.

Campaign ends for Bengal municipal polls,west Bengal municipal polls

BJP mulling legal recourse over Kolkata civic polls

A day after the West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) rejected the opposition parties' demands for repolls, the BJP on Wednesday said it was exploring legal options on the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls, terming it "a joke on democracy".
"The April 18 polls have become a joke on democracy, so we have decided to explore legal option against this. The Trinamool Congress' intentions are clear that it will continue to turn the polls into a farce," Bharatiya Janata Party national secretary and party-in charge for the state Siddharth Nath Singh said.

Caught on Camera: Congress MP caught on tape distributing money to voters in West Bengal

Ahead of the Kolkata civic polls, a big poll code violation has been caught on camera where a Congress leader can be seen allegedly distributing money to voters for doing a favour.Congress MP Abu Hashem Khan Choudhary daring to give cash to one of the old women for votes at English Bazaar in Malda district of West Bengal.
TMC accusing Congress of a massive conspiracy before the polls have registered a complaint with the Returning Officer of the Election Commission in Malda where Choudhary was campaigning for Nabin Das of Congress ahead of the civic polls scheduled for Saturday.

No repoll in Kolkata civic elections, says SEC
Kolkata, he West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) on Tuesday announced there would not be repoll in any booth following the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections held on April 18.
The SEC said there was no mention of electoral malpractices in the reports submitted by the returning officers on the polls to the 144-ward city civic corporation.
Complaining of violence, booth capturing, intimidation of voters and rampant fake voting, the state's opposition parties had demanded repoll in a number of wards. The Election Commission, rejecting the demand, declared the final poll percentage to be 68.56 percent, a six percent jump from its earlier announcement on the poll day.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, has demanded the April 25 state-wide civic body elections be postponed and also called for repolling in all the wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
The Congress took out a rally in the city and submitted a memorandum against the violence on the KMC's polling day.

BJP demands postponement of 91 civic polls on Apr 25

A four-member BJP delegation, headed by state General Secretary Ashim Sarkar,called on State Electoral Commissioner SR Upadhyaya and submitted a memorandum demanding postponement of elections for 91 civic bodies scheduled for April 25 immediately, since he failed to hold the KMC polls free and fair on April 18. " We are highly concerned about the largescale violence and riggingrelating to KMC polls, which you are fully aware and also fully responsible," the BJP memorandum said. "Inspite of our advice and warning to you that law and ordersituation in the state is not condusive to hold free and fair poll which is yourduty to ensure, you have failed in your constitutional duty and abdicated your powers to the state government.

Bengal poll panel takes U-turn, calls civic polls violence-free

Kolkata, A day after expressing displeasure over the conduct of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls, the West Bengal State Election Commission on Sunday did a volte-face claiming there were no major law and order disruptions during the exercise.
Facing a plethora of complaints regarding unfair practices, State Election Commissioner S.R. Upadhyay on Saturday said: "Ideally, if the polling is conducted properly, you don't get so much of complaints."
However, on Sunday he gave a contrary view.
"Given the statistics, I can say that by and large there had not been any major instance of violence reported," Upadhyay told mediapersons here.
Reminded by the media of his earlier view, Upadhyay reiterated that "there was no major instance of violence during the polls".
"We have got complaints regarding booth capturing, booth jamming, false voting and voter intimidation," he had said hours after the ruling Trinamool Congress claimed the polls were "free, fair and peaceful".
Upadhyay also said the commission was yet to take a decision on the complaints seeking re-polling in a number of booths.
"We have received 19 complaints from by different political parties demanding re-poll in 26 different wards. We are in the process of verifying and analysing them. After that, we will take a decision on when to, if at all, conduct a re-poll and in which wards," said Upadhyay.
The poll panel chief also assured of peaceful conduct of polls to 91 municipalities across the state on April 25.

Never seen such peaceful poll before: Mamata on Kolkata civic polls

Even as she paid a visit to a policeman shot at during a scuffle, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the Kolkata Municipal Corporations polls held on Saturday as peaceful like never before.
The claims of Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, came shortly after State Election Commissioner S.R. Upadhyay conceded that a "properly conducted democratic exercise doesn't attract so many complaints" of unfair practices.
Accompanied by city police chief Surajit Kar Purakayastha, Banerjee paid a visit to sub-inspector Jagannath Mondal, hospitalised after being shot at during a political clash.
"Thank god he is stable now. I had a talk with his wife and daughter. He has received a bullet below the shoulder. The doctors will take a call on whether to operate on him today or later. The doctors have assured us that he is safe and stable," said Banerjee.

Mediapersons come under attack in Kolkata civil polls

Kolkata, The media was at the receiving end of abuse and violence all through Saturday during the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls, as those resorting to unethical electoral practices targeted members of the fourth estate to keep their crimes under wraps.
Trinamool Congress councillor Ranjit Seal, who is seeking re-election from a ward in Khidirpore, was heard threatening electronic media personnel if they did not ship out from near a booth.
"So long I have spoken to you politely. But now go away. Otherwise consequences will not be good," he said.
Camera persons of two news channels were beaten up and their equipment damaged by youths owing allegiance to a political party when they went near a polling station after receiving allegations of booth capturing.

Live Voting %: 60 percent voting amid violence in Kolkata civic polls

Also Read: Kolkata civic poll voting percent live updates...>>>

Kolkata civic polls today, TMC clear favourite

The city on Friday was geared up for the crucial Kolkata Municipal Corporation election on Saturday. Nearly 37.5 lakh voters will decide the fate of 1,077 candidates. The contest in all 144 wards is going to be four cornered with ruling Trinamul Congress is all set to cross swords with CPI(M), BJP and Congress.
Amid Opposition parties’ persistent allegation of violence, nearly 32,000 Kolkata police personnel are trying to ensure free and fair poll. However, state election commissioner S.R. Upadhyay was peeved that the Centre did not accept his request for 50 companies of Central forces.

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SEC unhappy at inadequate central forces for KMC poll

The West Bengal Election Commission today said only three companies of central forces had been made available against the demand of 50 companies for the April 18 Kolkata Municipal Corporation poll.
State Election Commissioner S R Upadhyay said the three companies had been brought from Darjeeling where they were deployed along with five other companies.
Expressing unhappiness at the inadequate central forces, the SEC said, "Such a small contingent could only be utilised for route march or area domination, specially in the sensitive pockets.
Upadhyay said this could create a gap in confidence building measures for the poll.
"Finally only three companies of central forces have been made available for the KMC civic poll against our requirement of 50 company central forces. So there could be a gap in confidence building measures," Upadhyay said.

Calcutta High Court strikes down Mamata govt's decision to withold polls to 7 civic bodies

Holding that the State Election Commission (SEC) has the primacy in fixing the dates of polls, the Calcutta High Court today struck down West Bengal government’s decision to withold elections to seven civic bodies and ordered that the same be held within two months. 

Campaigning ends for Kolkata civic polls

Amid political violence and trading of allegations, the campaigning for the April 18 Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls ended on Thursday.
The four major parties -- the Trinamool Congress, the Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party -- are in the fray for all the 144 wards.

A total of 37,42,019 voters would exercise their franchise across 4,704 polling stations to decide the fate of 1075 candidates. The counting of votes is scheduled for April 28.

Among the star campaigners, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led the campaign for the Trinamool Congress, while for the BJP union minister Babul Supriyo, actress-turned-politician Roopa Ganguly and national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh were at the forefront.
For the Left Front, the main campaigners were CPI-M state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra and LF chairman Biman Bose, while for the Congress, state president Adhir Chowdhury was the face of the party.

Trinamool set to sweep Kolkata civic polls, says ABP Ananda & Nielsen survey. Read More..>>

West Bengal: No NOTA option for civic polls

The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to be used in the upcoming civic polls in the state will not contain the ‘none of the above’ (NOTA) button. The reason: Elections to local bodies doesn’t permit the use of NOTA facility.
State Election Commissioner Susanta Ranjan Upadhyaya on Monday said: “The law has to be amended first before we can implement NOTA option in municipal elections.”

BJP releases its manifesto for SMC poll

In the  battle to stay ahead in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation poll, the Siliguri unit of BJP wants to make the developmental projects planned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as model for the development of the city.

“We plan to take different measures to develop the town which will be based on the development projects launched by the central government in the country,” district BJP president Rathindra Bose said, releasing the manifesto on Wednesday. “We are optimistic to take over the board with absolute majority and intensify the development in Siliguri. The people of the town have got fed up with the drama of the Trinamool Congress, Congress and the Left Front. The previous civic board ran by the Congress and the LF was a complete failure.”

BJP alleges widespread violence by TMC ahead of civic polls

Kolkata: West Bengal BJP on Wednesday alleged widespread violence by the ruling TMC in the run-up to election to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on April 18 and over 90 municipal bodies across the state on April 25.
The saffron party held a rally through different parts of the metropolis to protest against the alleged attack on party leader Rupa Ganguly at Gopalnagar in the southern part of the city yesterday.
While Ganguly alleged that she had been attacked by Trinamool Congress workers, the ruling party claimed that it was the actress-turned-politician who had torn their party flag from a public meeting venue.

15,000 cops to guard Kolkata civic polls

The Kolkata Police have drawn up an elaborate plan to deploy a 15,000-strong force and made arrangements for surveillance by drones for the April 18 election to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Five Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), better known as drones, would be put to use, besides 280 special police pickets and 218 sector mobile units to ensure security during the polling process, Kolkata Police Commissioner Surajit Kar Purakayastha said.

Congress is looking to retain seats at civic poll

While everyone is certain of witnessing another poor performance from Congress in coming civic poll, Pradesh Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party is looking to keep their seats. Before the inquisitive reporters at “Meet the Press” programme on Tuesday Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury stated he does not know any magic. He looked optimistic about the new young blood in his party. They will bring a new dawn to the party, added he.
Speaking about the goal of the civic poll, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said apart from retaining the seats they will also look to regain few in the civic poll where Congress is competing is 70% seats. In 91 civic bodies Congress is contesting in 1330 seats out of 1902 seats, declared the Pradesh Congress President.

Kolkata Police chalks out elaborate plan for city civic polls

Stay order on microphone usage for civic poll campaigning

The National Green Tribunal on Monday ruled a stay order on West Bengal Election Commission’s approval of microphone usage for civic poll campaigning. The order will bar every political parties from using the microphones to campaign for civic poll.

Civic polls: BJP still hopeful of deployment of Central forces

With less than a week left for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls, state BJP leaders still seem hopeful about the intervention of Central forces at the time of polling.Repeating what he said a day before, party’s state president Rahul Sinha said at a protest rally against the alleged state-sponsored terrorism on Sunday: “I have had a word with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and he has assured about sending Central forces here.”He added: “When even the State Election Commission (SEC) is sceptic about the law and order situation and wanted the Central forces to be deployed, it can be well imagined how the polls would be conducted with state forces.”

Election campaigning peaks in Kolkata

Kolkata, (IANS)The election campaign picked up in Kolkata on the last Sunday before the April 18 Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls, as political parties brought out rallies and went door to door to woo the voters.
Notwithstanding the rising mercury level, the candidates reached out to the masses in their respective wards, as cycle rallies, padyatras and street corners were held across the city.
Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra and Left Front chairman Biman Bose took part in the canvassing, while actress-turned-politician Roopa Ganguly campaigned for Bharatiya Janata Party candidates in the Tollygunge area of South Kolkata.
Soccer stars of yesteryears Prashanta Banerjee and Okorie Cheema tried to drum up support for Trinamool Congress, while state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury addressed public meetings in central Kolkata.
The elections would be held for 144 wards.
The Trinamool Congress now runs the board.

Mamata launches civic poll campaign

Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee started campaigning for the municipal elections on Friday in Burrabazar area of Kolkata.She highlighted the “cosmopolitan culture” of Bengal and asked people not to vote for the BJP, insisting that the party is “destroying” the social fabric of the State. Interestingly, she chose Burrabazar area, a stronghold of the BJP, to launch her election campaign.
Ms Banerjee branded the BJP as a divisive party. “The BJP wants to pit Hindus against Muslims, Christians against Hindus. They want to create fissures between people. Tyag ka naam hai Hindu, Iman ka naam hai Mussalman. Pyar ka naam hai Isai. Sikh ka naam hai balidan. Yeh hai hamara Hindustan,” Ms Banerjee said.

Trinamool launches civic poll campaign, highlight development in N. Bengal

Trinamool Congress has started the civic poll campaign in north Bengal in full swing under the leadership of North Bengal Development Department Minister and Gautam Deb.
In Jalpaiguri on Wednesday, he attended rallies and conducted door-to-door campaigns across many wards under the JMC and interacted one-on-one with the public.
Sounding confident of winning the corporation election, Deb promised to turn Jalpaiguri into a model municipality area if they form the board