Kolkata, Nov 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) The West Bengal State Election Commission is likely to notify the election date for two Municipal Corporations - Kolkata and Howrah - on November 22 and polling is likely to take place on December 19.
The election in the other municipalities is likely to take place in February next year.
Sources in the State Election Commission have said that the notification for the election to Kolkata and Howrah Municipal Corporations will be published on November 22 and the election will take place on December 19. The counting is likely on December 22.
They said that the submission of nomination papers will start from November 25 and will continue till December 2. December 3 will be the last day for withdrawal of nomination papers and December 4 will be the day of scrutiny.
"We have got the green signal from the government and the notification for the election will be published soon," a senior SEC official.
The commission has already sent a budget of Rs 200 crore to the state Finance Department for the election.
"The budget is much higher than the earlier elections because we will have to maintain all the Covid protocols. There will be a need for additional polling personnel and police to enforce the Covid guidelines," the official said.
However, the commission is yet not clear whether there will be Central forces during the election.
On the other hand, the remaining 112 municipal elections in the state will be held in three phases in February next year. Sources in the government had earlier indicated that the state is keen to conduct the election of the three corporations initially, then the election of the 112 municipalities that are pending for over 18 months.
"We would like to complete the corporation election first and then we will go for the municipal elections," an official of the state government said.
Apart from the financial sanction, the poll body will also have to look into the police arrangements and maintain the Covid protocols before the announcement of the polls.
"We will have to conduct elections in almost 22,000 booths in 112 municipalities and because of Covid, we need more election personnel and police arrangements. We have already spoken to the state government regarding this. We are fully prepared to conduct the polls," an election official said.
Before the Durga Puja holiday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself had hinted that the pending election of the civic bodies will be completed after the completion of the four Assembly bypolls in the state.
Source: IANS
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