Around seven lakh new voters have been added to West Bengal electoral rolls ahead of the assembly elections, with the Election Commission yet to disclose
the age or gender break-up of this additional electorate, officials said on Saturday. Around 3.22 lakh of these new voters will vote in the first phase, while the remaining nearly 3.88 lakh voters will exercise there franchise in the second phase, a senior official of the poll body said. The commission, however, has not specified how many among these new entrants are first-time voters who have just turned 18, nor has it given a detailed gender break up of these voters. The commission has also not disclosed the number of Form-6 applications received for inclusion in the rolls or how many of them were rejected. "The aggregate figures have been released in line with norms. Detailed data is maintained separately and may be shared later if required," the senior EC official said. The total electorate in the state now stands at 6,82,51,008, which may increase if names are added following tribunal orders, the EC said. Polling in the state will be held in two phases -- first phase on April 23 and second on April 29. The counting of votes is set for May 4.
Bengal CEO Warns of Strict Action Against Lapses on Polling Day
As Bengal approaches its first phase of polling (on April 23), West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal warned that any disturbance on the voting day will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Addressing Superintendents of Police and Commissioners of Police, Agarwal said swift and decisive action must be taken in case of any untoward incident on election day.
"Any lapse in maintaining law and order will be viewed seriously, and officers-in-charge may face suspension," the CEO cautioned, according to sources present in the meeting.
The CEO further directed police officers to act immediately if any arms, ammunition or explosives are recovered from any area during polling.
