West Bengal polls: ECI flags 55 seats as 'expenditure sensitive'

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has identified 55 assembly constituencies in West Bengal as "expenditure sensitive" and 100 expenditure observers have been appointed this year -- the highest among the five poll-bound states and a UT. ECI sources said the seizures of illegal cash, liquor, freebies and drugs in connection with election has increased in Bengal, which stands second in the number of seizures after TN.

Total seizures including cash, liquor, drugs, precious metals and freebies in the five poll-bound states of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, and UT of Puducherry, was worth ₹1,281crore. TN tops the list with ₹438 crore seizures (as of April 17), with precious metals worth ₹105 crore and freebies worth ₹178 crore.

As per ECI data, Bengal, which is in the second position, till April 16 (from February 26) has a total seizure of ₹430.04 crore, including cash ₹21.56, precious metals worth ₹54 crore, freebies worth ₹171.76 crore, drugs worth ₹86 crore, and liquor worth ₹82.68 crore. Drug and liquor seizures of ₹100.03 crore were made, which is the highest among the poll-bound states. Several bordering constituencies in North 24 Parganas, Malda, Murshidabad and Uttar Dinajpur, where cash, drugs and precious metal seizures have been made most, have been identified under the 'expenditure sensitive' category.


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Eight assembly constituencies in North 24 Parganas district, including those near the Indo-Bangladesh border, have been identified as "expenditure sensitive." These include Bidhannagar, Rajarhat-Newtown, Barasat, Madhyamgram, Bhatpara, Gaighata and Bangaon North Basirhat. Gaighata and Bangaon North Basirhat are all bordering.


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In Kolkata, four of the seven assembly constituencies in North Kolkata and three of the four assembly constituencies in South Kolkata and central Dum Dum are also under "expenditure sensitive" category. Bhabanipur assembly constituency, which will witness a high voltage fight between West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and LoP Suvendu Adhikari, is also identified as "expenditure sensitive" due to the presence of "major commercial and business establishments".