• Source:JND

The Election Commission has taken action in the IPS Ajay Pal Sharma-Jahangir row and suspended BDO Saurav Hazra. The Falta BDO has been charged for not cooperating with IPS Ajay Pal Sharma.

The action followed a disturbance that erupted on Monday in the constituency of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan. BDO Saurav Hazra was accused of acting with a bias towards Khan, following which the Election Commission suspended him.

What is the Ajay Pal Sharma-Jahangir row?

IPS Sharma, a UP cadre officer popularly referred to as an encounter specialist has been deployed by the poll body in South 24 Parganas as poll observer. On Monday, a video of IPS Sharma made rounds on social media, wherein he could be heard saying a strict tone that no one will be allowed to intimidate voters.

 

Sharma visited the Falta area after the poll body received reports that Khan's men were allegedly collecting voter ID cards from people in the constituency and threatening them, an Election Commission official said.

Election Commission appointed Ajay Pal Sharma as observer

During the visit, the IPS officer, also known as 'Singham' in UP, said he would not allow the candidate or his associates to intimidate voters. Officials said Sharma was among the 95 observers deployed by the Election Commission to ensure free and fair voting in the second phase.

TMC's Khan reacted to the development with a filmy-style comparison, citing Telugu action film 'Pushpa', saying "If Sharma is Singham, he is Pushpa."

He also asserted that he will not allow 'BJP-appointed police officers to intimidate voters'.

Second phase of voting on April 29

Voting for the second phase of the Bengal elections will take place on Wednesday, April 29, for a total of 142 seats across seven districts. The Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements.

Final stage figures

  • Total Districts : 07
  • Total Seats: 142
  • General Seats: 107
  • Seats reserved for Scheduled Castes: 34
  • Seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes: 01
  • Total Voters: 3,21,73,837
  • Male Voters: 1,64,35,627

ALSO READ: What Are Exit Polls? Know EC Rules On Poll Predictions; When Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry Projections Will Be Out?

  • Female voters: 1,57,37,418
  • Third Gender: 792
  • Voter Sex Ratio : 958
  • Voter Population Ratio: 0.64
  • Total candidates: 1,448
  • Male candidates: 1,228
  • Female candidates: 220

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