EC meets representatives of political parties in West Bengal; maximum two-phase polling sought

Kolkata: Representatives of various political parties in West Bengal met the full bench of the Election Commission on Monday, and several of them sought a maximum of two-phase polling for the upcoming assembly elections, a senior official said.

Representatives of the TMC, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, AAP, NPP and Forward Bloc, among others, met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who was accompanied by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, and West Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal at a hotel in New Town near Kolkata.

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"A wide range of issues concerning the conduct of elections in the state were discussed. Several parties suggested that the elections be held in one or two phases and assured their cooperation in ensuring that the polls remain peaceful," the EC official said.

The parties urged the EC to take stringent measures to curb the activities of anti-social elements and prevent intimidation of voters during the elections, he said.

"They emphasised the need for strong security arrangements, including deployment of Central Armed Police Forces in adequate numbers, to curb violence and ensure that voters can cast their ballots without fear," he said.

Some parties also raised concerns about the possible use of crude bombs, illegal firearms and money or muscle power during the elections, he added.

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During the meeting, the CEC assured the parties that elections are conducted strictly in accordance with the law and all necessary steps would be taken to ensure a free, fair and transparent election in the state, the official said.

"The Election Commission has zero tolerance towards violence. We will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring impartial, transparent and peaceful elections," Kumar told the pre-poll consultation meeting, according to the official.

He also reiterated that the SIR exercise had been conducted in a transparent and unbiased manner, stating that Forms 6, 7 and 8 can still be filed for inclusion, deletion or correction of entries in the electoral rolls.