All eyes on tomorrow's by-election result in Bengal's Kaliganj; tight security protocol for counting day
The Election Commission (EC) has undertaken a host of measures to ensure a smooth and peaceful counting for the bypoll to the Kaliganj Assembly seat in West Bengal's Nadia district. The counting is slated to commence at 8 am on Monday.
According to EC sources, a three-tier security system will be in place at the counting centres: armed police personnel will guard the outermost layer, the second tier will comprise the state police and central forces, and the innermost, third tier will be exclusively manned by central forces.
The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were securely transported to the strong rooms on Thursday, and they are being monitored 24×7 through CCTV cameras. Political parties have been permitted to set up camps within 100 metres of the strong rooms, provided they obtain prior permission from the district magistrate.
The counting centre will have 16 tables. One of these tables will be dedicated to the counting of postal ballots. Election Commission officials anticipate a maximum of 20 rounds of counting, with results likely to be declared by 1 pm.
Agents of political parties will only be allowed to carry white paper and pens. The counting will begin with postal ballots, followed by EVMs. Mobile phone usage will be restricted to observers and designated metronomic officers.
The Kaliganj seat fell vacant in February after the demise of the incumbent TMC MLA, Nasiruddin Ahmed, aged 70. Ahmed, affectionately known as Lal within TMC circles, had secured a significant victory in the 2021 Assembly elections, defeating BJP's Abhijit Ghosh by a margin of 46,987 votes. He had previously won the seat in 2011 but lost to the Congress in 2016.
The by-election is a crucial test for both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), which aims to extend its winning streak after sweeping all six Assembly bypolls last year, and the Opposition parties, particularly the BJP, which are eager to identify vulnerabilities of the TMC ahead of next year's Assembly polls. The BJP, in particular, has been looking to leverage issues like the teachers' protest, Operation Sindoor, and the Pahalgam terror attack to garner support.
With counting just hours away, all eyes will be on Kaliganj to see which party emerges victorious and what implications the result holds for West Bengal's political landscape.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
FIR against union minister Sukanta Majumdar for comparing Bengal's law and order to brothel
An FIR was registered on Sunday against West Bengal BJP unit president and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar for his purported comment comparing the state's law and order situation to a red light area in north Kolkata. The FIR was registered at Burtolla police station following a complaint lodged by a sex worker at Sonagachhi , the brothel that Majumdar named in his comment, a police officer said. In the complaint, Majumdar was also accused of demeaning sex workers of Sonagachi by comparing their condition with the law and order situation in the state. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like I Tried the $0.87 Generic Viagra and Here's What Happened! fridayplans Learn More Undo The ruling Trinamool Congress attacked Majumdar on Saturday after a video in which Majumdar was heard saying "the law and order in Bengal is like Sonagachhi" went viral. PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video clip which the TMC also shared on X. Live Events From the TMC's state general secretary Kunal Ghosh to its IT cell head Debangshu Bhattacharya, the party in separate statements accused Majumdar of "insulting mothers and sisters of the area" and demanded his apology. In a video message, local MLA and state minister Shashi Panja said, "@BJP4India state president @DrSukantaBJP owes sex workers an unconditional apology for his disgraceful, dehumanising remarks. Using one of the most vulnerable groups in our society as a punchline for political mudslinging is inexcusable." "Those who spew such filth have no moral right to occupy any Constitutional office," she said. Majumdar made the comment from inside a car while responding to a question by reporters about the law and order situation of the state. "Since an FIR has already been filed, there is no need for discussion," BJP Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya told PTI. Majumdar could not be contacted.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Confusing': Akhilesh Yadav slams Centre's foreign policy; 'world looks at who you stand with in bad time'
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday criticised the BJP-led central government for what he called a 'confusing' foreign policy, questioning India's stand as tensions between Iran and Israel continue to escalate. Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow, Yadav said, 'Our foreign policy is confusing... The world looks at who you stand with in bad times. If you are not standing with your friend, who once did a favour for you, it is a big betrayal of the foreign policy.' His remarks came just hours after US President Donald Trump announced that the United States had carried out 'massive precision' strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites. Trump also warned of further retaliation if regional peace was not restored. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that three sites, including Iran's underground Fordow enrichment facility, had been hit in the strikes. However, the agency said there had been no reported rise in off-site radiation levels. 'Following attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran -- including Fordow -- the IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this time,' the agency said, adding that further assessments would be provided as more information comes to light. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 40代以上でPC持ってるなら、このゲームはあなた向け！ Hero Wars ゲームをプレイ Undo In response, Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation (AEOI) condemned the attacks as a breach of international law and vowed to continue the country's nuclear programme. Iran's nuclear sites were 'subjected to savage aggression—an act in violation of international laws, particularly the NPT,' the AEOI said in a strongly worded statement. It accused the IAEA of showing 'indifference' and even 'complicity' in the attack. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the operation, calling Trump's decision to strike Iranian facilities one that will change history. With the conflict now in its tenth day, India is continuing evacuation efforts for its citizens in Iran, with several special flights planned in the coming days to bring back nationals stranded in the conflict zone.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Institutional corruption in housing schemes under Congress rule, alleges Leader of Opposition Ashok
The Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashok, launched a scathing attack on the Congress government, saying that it had institutionalised commission rates across various departments involving the housing sector. Speaking to reporters in Mandya, Mr. Ashok said the government reeks of corruption, and it has laid out the 'rate list for bribe'. 'For every house constructed, a 15% cut goes to the Minister's office, 3% for government approvals, 10% for engineers, 2.5% for issuing work orders, and 8% for NOC clearance,' he said. Mr. Ashok claimed that these figures were not speculative, and the housing scam was the biggest to rock the State so far. Citing figures, the BJP leader said that under the Basava Housing Scheme (Rural) 1,13,546 houses have been completed at a cost of ₹1,987 crore. Of this, Mr. Ashok alleged that ₹725.2 crore was siphoned off as commission. He alleged that under the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Awas Yojana (Rural), 45,954 houses were constructed at an expenditure of ₹804 crore, of which the commission was ₹293.53 crore. Mr. Ashok said the cumulative commission for the housing scheme in urban and rural areas was in excess of $2,000 crore. Replying to a question, Mr. Ashok said the BJP will launch a State-wide agitation against it, interact with the beneficiaries in all the districts, and lay siege to the government offices.
