2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly Election -Election Commission of India(ECI)Announces Dates for Assembly elections in West Bengal Friday March 04,2016

2016 Legislative Assembly Election Dates Announced on Friday March 04,2016 by ECI for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry

The Election Commission of India(ECI)Announces Dates for Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on Friday March 04,2016

Election schedule:

• Assam to vote in two phases on April 4, 11.
• West Bengal to vote in 6 phases - April 4 and 11, 17, 21, 25, 30 and May 5.
• Single phase voting for Kerala on May 16.
• Tamil Nadu to vote in one phase on May 16.
• Puducherry togo to polls on May 16.
• Counting of votes on May 19.

With the announcement of polling dates, the model code of conduct has come into immediate force

No of Assembly Seats going to  Polls

• Tamil Nadu has 234 Assembly Seats
• West Bengal has 294 Assembly Seats
• Assam has 126 Assembly Seats
• Kerala has 140 Assembly Seats
• Puducherry has 30 Assembly Seats

The Election Commission of India (ECI)will set up over 1 lakh 90 thousand polling station across all these states- Kerala- 21,000, Tamil Nadu - 65,616, West Bengal -77247, Assam 25,000 and Puducherry-913

The Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said that -

over 17 crore voters are likely to use their democratic right during the elections in all these states -- Assam 1.98 crore, Kerala 2.56 crore, Tamil Nadu 5.80 crore, West Bengal 6.55 crore, Puducherry 9, 27,000.

824 assembly constituencies in 5 states will go to polls

The elections in West Bengal will be held in 6 phases

 

• Voting for 18 seats in first phase on April 04 and Voting for 31 seats on April 11,2016  as the seats fall under the Naxal affected areas

• Voting for 56 seats in second phase on April 17,2016
• Voting for 62 seats in third phase on April 21,2016
• Voting for 49 seats in fourth phase on April 25,2016
• Voting for 53 seats in fifth phase on April 30,2016 and
• Voting for 25 seats in sixth phase on May 05,2016

Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: March 11&14, 22, 28, April 1, 4, 7

Last Date for Nominations: March 18&21, 29, April 4, 8, 11

Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: March 19&22, 30, April 5, 9, 19

Last date for withdrawal of candidatures: March 21&26, April 1, 7, 11, 21
Counting of votes for the elections will be on May 19,2016


The  Election Commission of India(ECI) announced that in these elections NOTA - or the option of voting for none of the above - will have a symbol at the bottom of the list of candidates
For the first time, the Election Commission has introduced a symbol for "None of the Above" (NOTA) option

Many firsts

• Special polling stations at leprosy treatment centres.

• Photographs of all candidates will be included along with their name and the symbol on the EVMs.

• All polling stations in West Bengal and Assam will be covered by Central police forces.

• Every district will have 5 central observers to monitor action against criminal elements for peaceful election.

• All-women polling stations will be set up in the four States and Puducherry.

• ECI has asked officials linked to poll work to declare whether any of their relatives are contesting in the polls
• introduced a symbol for "None of the Above" (NOTA) option 

Three of the states going to the polls have the country's highest Muslim populations after J&K where 68% people follow Islam. Muslim population in Assam is 34%, in Bengal and Kerala 27%

Netas and where they stand

TOHA SIDDIQUI | Furfurasharif pir

Last December declared he has key to 46 assembly seats. Was vocal in backing Didi ahead of 2011 polls. Of late, has protested wedge between promises made and delivered. 

Ruling TMC sought his help to defuse crisis over Madrassa teachers' agitation. To placate Toha, govt formed a Furfurasharif Development Board with Rs 10cr grant All netas need him: Among latest visitors TMC's Mukul Roy, CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra, PCC chief Adhir Chowdhury

QARI FAZLUR REHMAN | Leads Eid namaz on Kolkata's Red Road

Outspoken on Mamata government's failures but feels TMC deserves another chance.

SIDDIQULLA CHOWDHURY | AIUDF's Bengal chief, leads Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind in Bengal.He Has never won a Bengal election, yet his call, brings lakhs of Jamiat supporters from across Bengal to Kolkata. Now, he is TMC nominee for Burdwan's Mongolkote seat. 

1)Total seats in Assembly – 295, including one seat nominated for Anglo-Indian community

2)68 seats reserved for SC category.

3)In the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections,Trinamool Congress won 34 seats (39.4% votes), Congress won four seats (9.6% votes), CPM won two seats (22.7% votes) and BJP won two seats (16.84% votes).

4)In the 2011 Assembly Elections,Trinamool Congress won 184 seats (38.9% votes), Congress won 42 seats (9.1% votes), CPM won 40 seats (30.8% votes) and BJP won zero seats (4.1% votes)

5)West Bengal has a population of 9.12 crore, of which 27% are Muslims

6)Muslim population is 30% or more in 85 Assembly constituencies

7)Five districts, including Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Malda and Birbhum, have sizeable Muslim votes