Page 10 - West Bengal

23% candidates in West Bengal poll phase 2 have criminal cases: ADR report

Around 23 per cent candidates in fray in the second phase of West Bengal assembly polls have declared criminal cases against themselves while 22 per cent are crorepatis, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Out of 1,445 candidates analysed, 338 (23 per cent) have declared criminal cases against themselves and 295 (20 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves, the report showed. While 16 candidates have declared cases of murder, 80 face attempt to murder charges, it said. Among the major parties, 102 (72 per cent) out of 141 candidates analysed from the BJP, 49 (35 per cent) out of 142 candidates from TMC, 51 (51 per cent) out of 100 candidates from CPI(M) and 37 (26 per cent) out of 142 analysed from the Congress have declared criminal cases against themselves in their poll affidavits, the ADR report said. Out of 142 constituencies, 63 (44 per cent) are "red alert" constituencies which have three or more candidates with ...

West Bengal SIR: SC seeks report on functioning of appellate tribunals

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would call for a report from the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court today itself after it was alleged that the appellate tribunals constituted for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal were "not functioning". Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat mentioned the matter before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi. "This is the West Bengal SIR matter.Your lordships have listed the matter for April 24. The appellate tribunals are not functioning. Lawyers are not being allowed. They are only taking internet and computer-based applications," Kamat said. The CJI expressed displeasure that almost everyday, the matters related to SIR in West Bengal were being mentioned before it. Kamat, however, argued that orders passed by the apex court in the matter were not being followed. "We will get a report from the chief justice (of the high court) today itself," the CJI observed. Assembly elections in West Bengal will be

Key issues take back seat as SIR recasts Bengal polls as identity battle

What was shaping up as an election around corruption, jobs and anti-incumbency issues in West Bengal has suddenly turned into a battle over identity and citizenship after the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls deleted over 91 lakh names, changing not just the state's electoral arithmetic but the emotional vocabulary of its campaign. The mood changed dramatically after the SIR deletions reduced the electorate by nearly 12 per cent. Political parties estimate that of the over 91 lakh names removed-though the Election Commission has not released any religious break-up - around 31 lakh are Muslims, and the remaining 61 lakh are Hindus, giving the exercise a communal and political edge. Till a few months ago, the BJP wanted the assembly election to revolve around the TMC's "15-years of misrule," jobs scam, women's safety, unemployment, and alleged TMC's minority appeasement. The TMC, in turn, was preparing to defend 'Lakshmir Bhandar', a financial assistance scheme for women,

SC dismisses plea against transfer of EC officers in poll-bound West Bengal

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea challenging the transfer of administrative and police officers by the Election Commission in poll-bound West Bengal. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi also said that the question of law raised in the matter would be kept open. The bench passed the order while hearing a plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order dated March 31. The high court had dismissed a PIL challenging the transfer of officers by the poll panel in West Bengal. Assembly elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29 and votes will be counted on May 4.

West Bengal's SIR exercise casts a long shadow on electoral integrity

Overall, some nine million voters - about 12 per cent of the electorate - were struck off the roll. Of those, about six million were deemed "absentee" or "deceased"

Shah vows to resolve Gorkha issue, withdraw cases if BJP wins West Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday that once the BJP assumes power in West Bengal, it will prioritise resolving the Gorkha issue in Darjeeling and withdraw all cases registered against community leaders and workers for violent agitations in the past. Shah, who was unable to reach the upper reaches of Lebong in the Darjeeling hills on account of unfavourable weather conditions, addressed the gathering through a recorded video message. "I am deeply regretful of not being able to reach you today. But I promise you that I will meet you in person at the scheduled public meeting at Sukna in Kurseong on April 21, where I will discuss in detail the development plans we have for the people of Darjeeling," he said. "For now, I will say that once we form the government in Bengal, our priority would be to resolve the Gorkha issue as quickly as possible. We will withdraw all pending police cases against Gorkha leaders and workers after we come to power in the state," he added. The

Bengal SIR: Logical discrepancy not recognised term under EC, says Mamata

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that "logical discrepancy" under the SIR exercise is not an officially recognised term under the Election Commission framework and was selectively applied in West Bengal, unlike Bihar, to benefit the BJP. Addressing a public rally at Pingla in Paschim Medinipur district, she said she has not seen a "dirty party" like the BJP. The West Bengal chief minister, urging people to vote against the BJP, said, "The BJP has snatched everything from you... Voting against it would be your only way to take revenge." The BJP is holding rallies at places that have direct railway connectivity with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar so that they can bring in people from those states to fill up the venues, she alleged. Elections to the 294-member assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29, and the votes will be counted on May 4.

I-PAC director Vinesh Chandel sent to 10 days in ED custody in PMLA case

A special court in Delhi has sent I-PAC co-founder and director Vinesh Chandel to ten days of ED custody following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, officials said on Tuesday. In a major action weeks ahead of the West Bengal assembly polls, the federal probe agency late Monday evening arrested Chandel in the case linked to an alleged coal scam in the poll-bound state. Officials said Chandel, a law graduate from NLIU Bhopal, was taken into custody after questioning and produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court late Monday night. The court sent him to 10 days ED custody, they said. Chandel's premises in Delhi, apart from that of another I-PAC co-founder and director, Rishi Raj Singh, in Bengaluru and that of former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communications in-charge Vijay Nair in Mumbai, were raided by the ED on April 2 as part of this investigation. I-PAC has been providing political consultancy to the TMC and the West

In Bengal's Murshidabad, roll deletions trigger 'decitizenisation' fears

Even as CM Mamata Banerjee has vowed to fight to restore the electors' rights, a sense of abandonment is surfacing among those who have been disenfranchised

SIR country's biggest recent scam, says Mamata at Bengal poll rally

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the BJP bribes voters before elections, and called the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls the "country's biggest scam" in recent times. Addressing a rally at Khandaghosh in Purba Bardhaman district, Banerjee claimed that the BJP would "snatch everything" from the people of West Bengal if it came to power in the state. "The BJP bribes voters before the elections. But they forget their promises soon after the polling is over. That was seen in the Bihar elections," Banerjee said. The TMC chief further alleged that the BJP would try to manipulate the polling process to win the election and urged the people to remain alert and keep a tab on the voting machines. "Be alert about the voting machines. The BJP has planned slow voting and slow counting. Foil all their plans," Banerjee said. "The SIR is the biggest scam the country has seen in recent times," she said, further predicting that the BJP government

SC to hear on Monday pleas related to SIR of electoral rolls in Bengal

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a batch of pleas pertaining to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound West Bengal. As per the apex court's cause list of April 13, the pleas would be heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. On April 10, the top court had agreed to hear on April 13 a fresh plea along with pending ones challenging the freezing of electoral rolls by the Election Commission ahead of the upcoming assembly polls in West Bengal. The poll panel has frozen and finalised the electoral rolls on April 9 for the assembly seats which are going to polls in the first stage. Assembly elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29 and votes will be counted on May 4. The freezing of electoral rolls means that no new person, who has been deleted, can be added to the voters list for this assembly polls. On Monday, the bench would also hear the suo motu case related to the .

West Bengal elections: PM Modi to address poll rally in Siliguri today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address an election rally in Siliguri in poll-bound West Bengal on Sunday, a party leader said. Modi on Saturday held rallies at Katwa in Purba Bardhaman district, Jangipur in Muslim-majority Murshidabad district, and Kushmandi in Dakshin Dinajpur. On Sunday, he will address a rally at Kawakhali Ground in Siliguri in support of BJP candidate Shankar Ghosh and other party nominees in north Bengal. These programmes are aimed at consolidating the BJP's support in central and north Bengal, where the party is seeking to make deeper inroads and sharpen its challenge to the ruling TMC, the party leader said. This is Modi's third visit to the state since the Election Commission announced the poll schedule in mid-March. On Thursday, Modi had addressed rallies at Haldia, Asansol and Suri, where he sharpened the BJP's campaign pitch by highlighting issues such as "industrial decay" and the "infiltration menace" in the state. Modi had launched his

TMC, BJP woo women, youth, and scheme beneficiaries with poll promises

The TMC and BJP, through promises made in their respective manifestos for the West Bengal polls, have made it clear that they are fighting to woo the same bloc of voters women, youth and welfare scheme beneficiaries even as they seek to shape the contest through different pitches on identity, minorities, polarisation and nationalism. While Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is banking on the social coalition of women, minorities and SC-ST voters that has kept the TMC in power since 2011, the BJP is trying to upend that base through financial aid promise, highlighting Bengali pride, vows to implement the Uniform Civil Code and provide citizenship for Hindu refugees, besides its anti-infiltration rhetoric. The Left Front and Congress have also unveiled their respective manifestos. But unlike the TMC and BJP, which are battling to capture power, they appear to be fighting mainly to reclaim political relevance through promises centred on jobs, industry and anti-incumbency. Political analy

BJP to implement UCC, won't let Bengalis become minority in Bengal: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sharpened the BJP's pitch on identity and infiltration in poll-bound West Bengal, promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to end what he called the "politics of appeasement", while asserting that the party would not allow Bengalis to become a minority in the state. Addressing a rally at Jangipur in Muslim-majority Murshidabad district, Modi framed the upcoming assembly elections as a battle to protect West Bengal's identity and future, while accusing the ruling TMC of thriving on appeasement politics and the "support of infiltrators". "The nation's security is of paramount importance to us. The BJP's resolve is to implement UCC in West Bengal to end the politics of appeasement forever," Modi said, a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the party's manifesto promising to bring in the law within six months. Claiming that rapid demographic changes were taking place in several parts of the state, Modi alleged that the TMC

BJP govt will end TMC's 'syndicate raj' in Bengal if voted to power: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that if the BJP is voted to power in West Bengal, it will end TMC's 'syndicate raj', and said those involved in atrocities on women of the state would be brought to justice. Addressing a BJP rally at Onda in Bankura district, Shah assured potato farmers that their produce will be sent across the country so that they get remunerative prices. "We will end the 'syndicate raj' of the TMC government after winning the Bengal assembly elections," he said. "All those involved in atrocities on women during Mamata Banerjee's rule will be brought to justice," Shah asserted. The Union home minister also stated that infiltrators will be thrown out once the BJP comes to power in Bengal. "India is not a 'dharamshala' (free guest house), and infiltrators who pose a threat to the country will be thrown out," Shah said.

BJP, with EC's help, tried to invalidate my Bhabanipur nomination: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday claimed that the BJP, with the help of the Election Commission, tried to get her candidature from Bhabanipur seat in south Kolkata cancelled by attempting to file false cases against her, but the bid was foiled by TMC workers and the public. Banerjee, while addressing an election rally at Keshiyari in Paschim Medinipur district, accused the BJP of "forcefully" deleting the names of 90 lakh voters from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). "The BJP, with the EC's help, tried to invalidate my candidature from Bhabanipur by trying to file false cases against me, but we foiled their game plan," Banerjee, who is contesting against Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to retain her seat, said without elaborating further. She accused the BJP of "plotting to forcefully capture votes through fraudulent means as they don't have the guts to fight and win the elections democratically". "This is why they are ...

BJP govt in West Bengal will speed up CAA, infiltrators must leave: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sharpened the BJP's pitch on infiltration and welfare in poll-bound West Bengal and promised that the process of granting citizenship to Matua and Namasudra refugee families will speed up once the party comes to power. Addressing a rally at Katwa in Purba Bardhaman district, Modi said the BJP had brought in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act to grant citizenship to refugees and accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of trying to spread fear among them. "I want to tell the Matua and Namasudra refugee families that they are under the protection of the country's Constitution. Modi enacted the CAA law so that Matua, Namasudra, and all refugees get citizenship," he said. The PM also said, "After the BJP government is formed, the process of granting citizenship under CAA will be accelerated for all eligible applicants." The remarks are significant in a state where the Matua community, spread across several districts of south Bengal, is seen as an ...

West Bengal elections: PM Modi to address three election rallies today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address three rallies in poll-bound West Bengal on Saturday, as the BJP steps up its campaign ahead of the assembly elections. Modi will hold the rallies at Katwa in Purba Bardhaman, Jangipur in Muslim-majority Murshidabad district and Kushmandi in Dakshin Dinajpur. These programmes are aimed at consolidating the BJP's support in central and north Bengal, where the party is seeking to make deeper inroads and sharpen its challenge to the ruling TMC. This will be Modi's third visit to the state since the Election Commission announced the poll schedule in mid-March, underscoring the importance the BJP leadership attaches to West Bengal, one of the party's key electoral battlegrounds. On Thursday, Modi had addressed three rallies at Haldia, Asansol and Suri, where he sharpened the BJP's campaign pitch by foregrounding issues such as "industrial decay" and the "infiltration menace" in the state. At those meetings, the Prime Minister also off

Rising costs likely to slow expansion plans of Bengal foundry units

Rising raw material and logistics costs amid global tensions threaten ₹2,000 crore expansion plans of Bengal's foundry sector

West Bengal polls: BJP manifesto reaches out to govt staff, women, youth

BJP's Bengal poll manifesto promises sops for employees, women and youth, focusing on jobs, welfare and law and order ahead of Assembly elections