West Bengal assembly polls: Amit Shah to address six public programs today
Out of the six public programs, three are roadshowsAs many as 45 assembly segments are scheduled to go to polls in the fifth phase to be held on 17 April
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address six public programs in the poll-bound West Bengal on Sunday. The programs come a day after the fourth phase of the assembly elections in the state concluded with violence in the Cooch Behar constituency.
Out of the six public programs, three are roadshows.
At first, Shah will carry out a roadshow in Santipur at 12.20 pm. After concluding this event, another roadshow will be carried out in Ranaghat Dakshin at 1.30 pm.
At 3.40 pm, Shah will address a public meeting in Basirhat Dakshin. The fourth event will be a roadshow in Panihati at 04.25 pm.
The last two public programs will be in the form of town hall meetings.
The minister will also carry out a town hall Meeting in Kamarhati at 5.30 pm. After this, he will attend another town hall meeting in Rajarhat Gopalpur at 7.00 pm.
As many as 45 assembly segments are scheduled to go to polls in the fifth phase to be held on 17 April. The sixth round for 43 seats would be held on 22 April. In the seventh phase, 35 constituencies will go to polls on 26 April. The eighth and final round of elections is scheduled for 29 April, when the remaining 35 assembly segments would go to the polls.
The Election Commission of India would declare the results on 2 May.
Poll-related violence
Four persons were killed as central forces allegedly opened fire after coming under attack from locals, who "attempted to snatch their rifles", in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district on Saturday, police said.
The incident took place in Sitalkuchi area when voting was underway, a senior district police officer said.
Following this, the Election Commission (EC) ordered adjournment of polls at polling station number 126 in the Sitalkuchi constituency.
The authority then banned entry of all politicians in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal for next 72 hours to prevent possible law and order flare up.
Apart from this, EC also extended the silence period for fifth phase of West Bengal polls from 48 hours to 72 hours.
"Recourse to open fire by CISF personnel became absolutely necessary in order to save lives of voters lined up at the polling booth, those of other polling personnel and their own lives as mob had attempted snatching their weapons," stated Election Commission.
Amid the incidents of violence, the EC has directed the Union Home Ministry to deploy 71 additional companies of Central Armed Police forces (CAPFs) in the state for conducting the remaining four phases of polls.
Till now, 1,000 companies were earmarked for holding the elections in the state which has 294 assembly seats.
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