Many areas on the fringes of Kolkata will participate in the panchayat elections on Saturday, along with rural Bengal.
Here is a list of what you should know
- Election venues close to the city: The areas closest to the city where the rural polls will be held are parts of New Town, Rajarhat, Calcutta Leather Complex, Sonarpur, Baruipur, Domjur, Liluah, Rahara and Ghola. Theseareas are under Kolkata police, Bidhannagar commissionerate, Baruipur police district, Barrackpore commissionerate and Howrahcommissionerate.
- Road restrictions: Police said vehicles will not be allowed within 200 metres of any polling station. There will be no restriction on movement of vehicles beyond that radius.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Government College (also known as New Town Government College) will house 10 booths. The college is located behind Central Mall in New Town and is around 1.2km from theNew Town bus stand in Action Area I.
There will be no restriction on the movement of vehicles or pedestrians around the bus stand, officers of the Bidhannagar police said.
Similarly, the Calcutta Leather Complex area — the lone pocket under Kolkata police that will go to the polls on Saturday — has 73 booths.
Officers of the city police said there will be no restriction on the movement of vehicles on EM Bypass or stretches close to the polling station that are outside the 200-metre radius.
- Carrying cash: The police said anyone carrying more than Rs 50,000 should be able to explain the source of the money with documents.
“There is no embargo on carrying cash as such. But generally, we ask for documents on the source of the money if the amount is Rs 50,000 or more. It depends on the circumstances under which the cash is found or being carried,” said a joint commissioner in the Kolkata police.
The police said there will be multiple checkpoints, especially at the border of two police districts, where motorists can be stopped and their vehicles checked. Carrying arms, ammunition and psychotropic substances is prohibited.
- Dry day: Liquor shops, and the premises that serve liquor, in the places where the elections will be held will remain closed from 5pm on Thursday till the end of voting on Saturday.
Restaurants that are licensed to serve liquor may remain open but will not be able to serve liquor during this period.
According to orders issued by the state excise department, all categories of retail excise licenced premises shall remain closed only in the pockets where the polls will be held in Kolkata, Bidhannagar, Howrah, Barrackpore and other areas across the state.
There will be no impact of the restrictions on areas beyond the areas where the polls will be held.
- Helplines: Kolkata police: 2214-3230/2214-1310
Bidhannagar City Police: 2335-8788/2341-0465
Howrah City Police: 2641-5614/2637-4762
Barrackpore City Police: 2593-2647/2545-5030
Baruipur Police: 2433-0083/2433-1312