Ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, Section 144 has been imposed in Nandigram till April 2. In a prohibitory order, the Sub divisonal magistrate ordered, assembly of 5 or more persons, excluding people on election duty and voters entitled to vote in designated polling stations is prohibited within 200 meters of polling premises.
Further, the order also prohibits the usage of cellular/cordless phone, wireless within 100 meters of the polling premises except by persons on election duty.
The second phase of assembly elections will witness an intense contest between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her former ministerial colleague Suvendu Adhikari here.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Avneet Punia issuing an order said, in accordance with specific directions of the Election Commission and in the likelihood of violence, breach of peace and unwarranted incidents, Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed from 6:30 pm on March 30 till April 2.
In phase two of the elections, a total of 30 assembly constituencies from the districts of South 24 Parganas, Bankura, Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur will go to polls. There are 171 candidates in the fray in phase-II of West Bengal polls, out of which 152 candidates are men while only 19 are women.
Among these candidates, two are undoubtedly the most prominent figures, that is, Mamata and Suvendu, who had joined the BJP in December last year. Nandigram is all set to witness the most high-profile contest in the second phase where Banerjee and Adhikari are taking on each other. Adhikari had earlier pledged that he will quit politics if he does not defeat the TMC chief by 50,000 votes in Nandigram.
(With agency inputs)