AMN /

ECI

The notification for the first phase of assembly polls has been issued in Assam today. Polling for this phase will be held on 4th of April in 65 seats. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on 19th of this month while 21st March is the last date of withdrawal of nomination papers.

The issuance of notification, formal process of filing nomination papers has begun in Barak valley, hill districts and Upper and North Assam. BJP,Asom Gana Parishad, Bodoland People’s Front, Left parties , Liberal Democratic Party among others have announced candidates list for several constituencies. Campaigning is also gradually gaining momentum in poll bound Assam. Rallies, road shows and bike rallies are being organized by political parties to woo voters.

In West Bengal too, the notification for the Assembly elections to 18 constituencies has been issued. All the 18 constituencies are located in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts will go for polls on 4th April. Filing of nomination for all these seats, opening today will continue till 18th March, the scrutiny will be done on 19th, the next day. The candidates will be allowed to withdraw the nominations for these 18 seats till 21st March. The elections to the West Bengal Assembly will be conducted in six voting phases till May 5th and counting of all the 294 constituencies will be done on 19th May.

Only the ruling Trinamul Congress, TMC, has announced its contestants for all the 294 seats. The CPI-M led Left Front has declared a total of 200 names of in two separate list till last evening. Congress has so far released a partial list of 75 constituencies from which the party will field its candidates. Names of the contestants a for these and other seats will be finalized in a party meeting today in Kolkata where central leaders are scheduled to be present. The BJP has declared candidates for 52 seats in Bengal and process is on to finalise names of party candidates for other seats.