West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer urges voters to turn out in Assembly polls, likens polling booths to Durga Puja pandals

Murshidabad (West Bengal) [India], April 12 (ANI): West Bengal State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal urged voters in the State to actively participate in the upcoming Assembly polls, stressing that arrangements have been made for "free and fair" polling in the district.
Drawing a cultural parallel to encourage higher voter turnout, Agarwal said people should approach polling stations with the same enthusiasm as they do during the festival of Durga Puja.
"Good preparations are underway for the elections in Murshidabad. We are meeting with people. We are also meeting with all the officials and all the observers who came to witness the election. We are prepared for free and fair elections; everyone should come and vote. We are urging the people to come to the booth as they go to the pandals during Durga Puja and cast their vote," he said.
He further clarified that the eligibility for voting for the people whose names were removed after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls by the Election Commission in the state will depend on the updated rolls after due legal processes.
"Those whose names have been removed will only be able to vote once their names are cleared by the tribunal," he added.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is set to address an election rally in Shamsherganj in Murshidabad district of West Bengal on April 14 as part of the Congress party's campaign for the upcoming state elections.
The state of West Bengal prepares for crucial polling in two phases on April 23 and 29, with the results set for May 4.
The upcoming elections follow the 2021 battle, where the TMC secured a landslide 213 seats. However, the BJP's growth from a minor player to 77 seats in the last cycle has set the stage for the current high-stakes confrontation. (ANI)