• Source:JND
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Bengal Election 2026: With just a few months remaining in the West Bengal Assembly elections, the opposition parties have urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct the polls in either one or fewer phases. In their meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, the opposition parties alleged that a greater number of phases usually benefits the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). While there has not been any official announcement yet, the poll body is likely to consider the suggestions.

Why Demands Of Fewer Phases?

The opposition parties, especially BJP and CPI(M), pointed out that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC has a better network of supporters and poll machinery. They pointed out that fewer phases will ensure that the movement of the anti-social elements is limited, adding that it will also reduce the spendings.

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"In our experience from the 2021 and 2024 elections, the TMC always mobilises miscreants from different areas on polling day. If the election is held in one, two, or three phases, TMC won’t be able to do that," a senior BJP leader was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

Apart from this, CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim also asserted that the election should not go beyond two phases if a single phase were not feasible. While the Congress also advocated for fewer phases, the Grand Old Party clarified that it should not put security at risk. "We want a violence-free election in as few phases as possible," party leader Pradip Bhattacharya stated.

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Bengal Polls: Over The Years

While the 2021 assembly election was conducted in eight phases, the Lok Sabha election in 2024 was conducted in seven phases. Apart from this, the assembly election in 2016 was conducted in six phases. The poll body is likely to consider the requests of the opposition parties, but it will also review the security arrangements before taking the final decision.


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