West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the dates for the bypolls to the Asansol Lok Sabha seat and Ballygunge assembly seat, saying they clashed with the Class 12 exam schedule.
Announcing the new schedule for the Higher Secondary Examination in view of the bypolls, Ms Banerjee said: “Whatever the BJP tells them. [ECI]they will do it.” Repeated requests by the state government in this regard, including a letter to the chief secretary, had fallen in deafening years, she said.
The elections for Asansol and Ballygunge seats are to be held on April 12, while the two examinations were to be held on April 11 and 13. Ms Banerjee informed that the schools where her exams are to be held will be used as polling stations. Home Central Forces. The Chief Minister informed that 7.39 lakh students will appear for the examination in the state and the Election Commission should have kept this in mind.
Ms Banerjee apologized to the students for the rescheduling of the exam. The Chief Minister said that there will be no higher secondary examination between April 6 and 15 due to the by-elections. The exam will start from April 2 and end on April 27 (instead of April 26).
The Chief Minister also urged all political parties to refrain from using microphones in areas where elections are being held.
The elections have been necessitated by the resignation of BJP MP from Asansol Babul Supriyo and joining the Trinamool Congress in September 2021 and the death of Ballygunge MLA Subrata Mukherjee. Mr. Supriyo is contesting the assembly elections from Ballygunge on a Trinamool ticket. The state’s ruling party has fielded actor and former Union minister Shatrughan Sinha from Asansol. The Left Front has fielded Partha Mukherjee from Asansol and Saira Shah Haleem from Ballygunge.