Kolkata, Sept. 2 -- The State Election Commission (SEC) has begun preparations for the forthcoming civic polls in West Bengal, which are likely to be held by December.
State Election Commissioner Krishna Gupta held a review meeting with district magistrates (DMs) and other officials on Wednesday to assess election preparedness.
The civic bodies expected to go to the polls include the Kolkata, Howrah and Siliguri municipal corporations, along with the municipalities of Bally, Haldia, Dhupguri, Kalimpong and Kurseong.
The SEC directed the DMs to complete final delimitation proposals by the second week of September. The meeting reviewed key aspects of the poll process, including delimitation of municipal wards, reservation of seats, preparation of electoral rolls, realignment of polling stations, deployment of polling personnel and EVMs.
The officials were asked to complete all delimitation-related processing, particularly as the number of wards in the KMC is set to rise from 144 to 209, while the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) will have 68 wards, up from 50.
The SEC has also fixed timelines for the reservation process. The draft reservation list is expected to be published around mid-September, while the final list is likely to be released by the end of October.
The commission also reviewed arrangements for the storage, checking and deployment of EVMs allocated for the municipal elections. District officials were asked to assess manpower requirements and complete preparations for electoral rolls and polling stations within the prescribed timelines.
The emphasis on completing delimitation and reservation well ahead of the polls is significant, as these processes determine the territorial composition of wards and the categories of seats reserved for different sections.
The SEC directed officials to ensure adequate facilities at polling stations and strictly follow election norms. The meeting signalled that logistical and administrative preparations will have to proceed simultaneously in the coming weeks.
Security arrangements will be discussed at subsequent meetings, with the SEC concerned about political violence in the run-up to the polls. It reiterated that all arrangements must follow established procedures to ensure fair and peaceful municipal elections.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.