After Extending Liquor Ban For Bengal, Poll Body's Next Move: No Motorbikes

An unprecedented restriction on motor bikes has been issued for West Bengal, where elections are due in two phases this month. The Election Commission has curtailed motor bike movement on polling day from 6 pm to 6 am except for "emergencies" and family requirements. There will be no motorbike rallies, it has underscored.  

"Polling day-2 onward from 6 am to 6 pm no pillion riding on motor cycles shall be allowed except in case of medical emergency, family function or other essential requirements like dropping/picking of school children etc," read a statement from the Commission. 

"Family pillion riding shall be allowed from 6 am to 6 pm for voting purpose and for other essential requirements like medical emergency, family function etc," the statement read. 

For any exemption, people can apply to the local police in advance, the poll body said. 

The Commission said its aim is to "ensure free, fair, peaceful and violence-free elections". To that end, the poll body had earlier doubled the duration of liquor ban in the state. The usual 48-hour ban was stretched to 96, which came into effect on Sunday.

In a statement on April 19, the Election Commission had said, "It has been observed that there is an unusual spurt in sale of liquor". It came this conclusion from multiple sources including liquor monitoring exercises. The sale of liquor in April has also been more than the corresponding period last year, the poll body said.

The high-stakes assembly election in Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 4. 

The state is set for a high-voltage battle between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP, which is hoping to capture power this time. The Election  Commission has made elaborate arrangements for security, deploying around 2,400 CAPF companies -- making it one of the largest election security operations in recent years.

To tighten security, the Commission has already reshuffled top officials, including the Chief Secretary, DGP, Home Secretary, Kolkata Police Commissioner, and several senior officers.

AI-enabled cameras will monitor polling stations in real time. If cameras are switched off or any suspicious activity is detected, repolling can be ordered immediately. The Commission has made it clear that it would cancel polls in case of booth capturing this time.