WB COVID Surge | Hold Remaining Poll Phases in One Go: CM to EC

File image of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. 

(Photo Courtesy: Altered by The Quint)

Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, 15 April, urged the Election Commission of India to conduct the remaining phases of the Assembly elections in the state in one go, in view of the huge surge in COVID-19 cases.

She also pointed out, in her tweet, that she was firmly opposed to the Election Commission’s decision to conduct the elections in eight phases in the first place.

“Amid an ongoing pandemic, we firmly opposed Election Commission’s decision to conduct WB polls in 8 phases. Now, in view of the huge surge in #COVID19 cases, I urge the ECI to consider holding the remaining phases in ONE go. This will protect the people from further exposure to COVID-19.”

West Bengal still has four phases of the polls due. Meanwhile, since the elections have began in the state, the COVID cases have shot up 22 times.

Various political figures including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and even CM Mamata Banerjee and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have conducted rallies and road-shows amid the pandemic, drawing crowds of thousands. Meanwhile, election-related bureaucratic activities and defiance of COVID-19 norms have also contributed to the sharp increase in cases.

West Bengal on Wednesday recorded the highest single-day increase in COVID cases as 5,892 infections increased the active caseload from 30,000 to 32,621.