KOLKATA, Jan. 10 -- The office of the Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has forwarded a list of 69 high-rises across the city and suburbs that have agreed to host polling booths, including 10 multi-storeyed apartments in the Kolkata North and South Parliamentary constituencies. Sources in the CEO office said the District Electoral Officer (DEO) of South 24-Parganas submitted 25 high-rises-the highest in the state-while North 24-Parganas proposed 22 buildings. Howrah suggested four, Hooghly five, and East Burdwan three.
A senior CEO official said eight high-rises in north Kolkata and two in south Kolkata have agreed to host polling booths. The complete list has been sent to the Election Commission of India, and DEO requisitions are being verified. Each building has between 300 and 1,000 electors. The decision faced strong objections from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had written to the Chief Election Commissioner on November 24, arguing that using private buildings for polling "compromises fairness, violates established norms, and creates discriminatory distinctions between privileged residents and the general public." Mayor Firhad Hakim held a meeting with apartment associations last month, where some expressed interest in hosting polling booths.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.