Lok Sabha polls in five phases in Bengal

The Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal will be held in five phases beginning April 17, the Election Commission announced Wednesday. The last round of voting will be held May 12.

In the first phase, four constituencies - Cooch Behar, Alipurduars, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, all in north Bengal - will go to the polls April 17.

The notification for the polls will be issued March 19 while the last date for filing nominations is March 26. The nominations will be scrutinised March 27, with March 29 the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

In the second phase, six constituencies - Raiganj (North Dinjapur), Balurghat (South Dinjapur), Maldaha Uttar and Maldaha Dakshin (Malda), Jangipur and Murshidabad (Murshidabad) - will go to the polls April 24.

The notification for the polls will be issued March 29 while the last date for filing nominations is April 5. The nominations will be scrutinised April 7 with April 9 the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

Nine constituencies - Howrah, Uluberia (Howrah), Srerampur, Hooghly, Arambagh (Hooghly), Bardhaman Purba, Bardhaman-Durgapur (Burdwan), Bolpur, Birbhum (Birbhum) - will go to the polls in the third phase April 30.

The notification for the polls will be issued April 2, while the last date for filing nominations is April 9. The nominations will be scrutinised April 10, and April 12 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

Six parliamentary constituencies - Jhargram, Medinipur (West Midnapore), Purulia (Purulia), Bankura, Bishnupur (Bankura) and Asansol (Burdwan) - will go to the polls in the fourth phase May 7.

The notification for the polls will be issued April 12. While the last date for filing nominations is April 19, the papers will be scrutinised April 21, and April 23 will be the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

As many as 17 constituencies will vote May 12 in the fifth and last phase. These are Baharampur (Murshidabad), Krishnanagar, Ranaghat (Nadia), Bangaon, Barrackpur, Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat (North 24 Parganas), Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur (South 24 Parganas), Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar (Kolkata), Tamluk, Kanthi and Ghatal (East Midnapore).

The notification for the polls will be issued April 17, while the last date for filing nominations is April 24. The nominations will be scrutinised April 25, and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 28.