The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, is set to conduct a virtual meeting with all Election Commission of India (ECI)-appointed poll observers for West Bengal. The meeting aims to address concerns regarding the current infrastructure of polling booths in the state ahead of the upcoming two-phase assembly elections.
An insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, revealed that initial reports have indicated dissatisfaction with the existing polling booths’ infrastructure. In response, the CEC has scheduled the virtual meeting to brainstorm with poll observers on enhancing the infrastructure before the first phase of polling on April 23.
To ensure improvements, the Commission has instructed the state secretariat to assign a secretary-level officer in each district. These officers will assess the booth infrastructure, identify areas needing enhancement, and propose necessary corrective actions. Additionally, guidelines for “dry days” have been issued by the state secretariat for the two-phase polling and counting processes.
The first phase of polling covering 152 assembly constituencies is slated for April 23. During this period, all liquor outlets in the constituencies’ jurisdictions will be closed from 6 p.m. on April 21 until the polling concludes on April 23. Similarly, the second phase of polling for 142 assembly constituencies on April 29 will observe the same “dry day” restrictions for liquor outlets from April 27 to April 29. The counting day on May 4 will also be designated as a “dry day” across the state, with closures of all liquor outlets. In case of re-polling, the “dry day” regulations will apply to liquor outlets in the concerned areas.
