The Election Commission of India has expressed dissatisfaction with the limited number of private housing complexes in Bengal identified for setting up polling booths for the upcoming Assembly elections. Only 69 complexes with 300 or more residents have been pinpointed so far, falling short of the expected count. South 24 Parganas district leads with 25 complexes, followed by North 24 Parganas with 22, both neighboring Kolkata.
Surprisingly, Kolkata itself has only 10 identified complexes, with eight in North Kolkata and two in South Kolkata. This scarcity in the state capital has surprised the Commission. Five complexes were found in Hooghly district, four in Howrah, and three in East Burdwan, while no complexes were identified in the remaining 14 districts.
A political debate arose after the Commission proposed setting up polling booths in these complexes. The Trinamool Congress opposed the idea, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee writing to the Chief Election Commissioner against it. Arguments both for and against the proposal exist, citing potential inconvenience for residents versus the convenience it offers elderly and ailing voters within the complexes.
