By-polls for two seats in West Bengal has been announced on May 13, 2021. But the Election Commission’s announcement has been met with outrage by Opposition parties. Congress, TMC and Left are terming it a bias against Muslim voters, reports Times Now. All have appealed to EC to review the decision to hold by-polls on Eid-day.
The two seats are Samsergang and Jangipur. These seats have fallen vacant due to the death of two of its candidates, Rezaul Haque of Congress and Pradip Kumar Nandi of Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) respectively due to Covid-19 pandemic.
BJP has hit back that in the past elections have been held during the Hindu festivals, such as Bihu and Chithirai.
Meanwhile, re-polling in four polling stations under three assembly constituencies in Assam took place yesterday. It was the last day of celebrations of the Rongali or Bohag Bihu festival. In Assam, Bihu is the most important festival.
Likewise, in 2019, the annual Chithirai festival in Madurai had coincided with the date of polling in Tamil Nadu.