First phase of Bengal election went off peacefully barring few stray incidents. There were some issues with EVMs in some booths which were immediately addressed for smooth functioning and the polling continued without delay. Eighteen Assembly constituencies in West Bengal mostly in the Jangalmahal area were affected by left-wing extremism. Thirteen of the 18 seats have been identified by the Election Commission as left wing-extremism affected, with voting ending in these polling stations at 4 p.m. This is the first phase in a larger election season in which five States will go to the polls. The election commission and its sincere servants deserves all praise for their efforts to conduct polls in a most professional manner. The election officials need to put in some more efforts to keep the EVM machines in order for the conduct of smooth polling process. It will be a superhuman effort to conduct elections in India.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
