Congress, BJP ask EC to ensure 'free, fair' polls in Bengal's last phase

Apprehending violence in the fifth and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, the Congress and BJP Friday asked the Election Commission to ensure extensive security as well as monitoring systems were in place during the May 12 polls.

As many as 17 constituencies, including the two in state capital Kolkata, will go to the hustings Monday.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar handed over a video recording to chief electoral officer Sunil Gupta, of the rigging seen in the elections in Asansol May 7.

"There should be videography, webcasting across all the booths in the fifth phase of polls. Micro observers should be present in all of them," he told reporters here after his meeting with Gupta.

Claiming that Deputy Chief election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi's instructions about polling agents were not carried out efficiently, Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya demanded heightened security arrangements be made in booths in constituencies such as Ghatal, Kolkata North and Kolkata South.