The district election officer of Calcutta South on Friday visited parts of the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, where one of the most closely watched electoral contests is set to take place.
Randhir Kumar, the DEO, interacted with voters at roadside shops, tea stalls and along the lanes and bylanes of Bhabanipur, urging them to vote without fear.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is set to face off against leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in the constituency.
Kumar informed voters that they could call 1950, the voter helpline number monitored by the Election Commission, in case they faced any issues during the poll process.
He was accompanied by Surajit Ray, the returning officer for the Bhabanipur constituency. Personnel from the central armed police forces (CAPF) also accompanied the officials as part of a confidence-building exercise.
“Bhabanipur is a peaceful place. We are asking people to participate in large numbers in the polls,” Kumar said.
The march began in front of Bhabanipur police station and passed through S.P. Mukherjee Road, Paddapukur Road, Justice Dwarakanath Road, Odiya Para, Rajendra Road, Ram Mohan Dutta Road, Justice Chandra Madhab Road, Chakraberia Road (North), Paddapukur Townsend Road, Charbati crossing, Ramesh Mitra Road, Sarat Bose Road, Beltala Road and Hazra Road, before concluding at the Hazra crossing.
There are 1,60,318 voters in Bhabanipur. The constituency includes seven wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation — 63, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 77 and 82. Its boundary extends from Bhabanipur-Chakraberia in the east to Alipore-Ekbalpore-Kidderpore in the west, Chetla in the south and the Maidan in the north.
Bhabanipur’s electoral roll comprises over 81,000 male voters, over 79,000 female voters and six third-gender voters.
“Bhabanipur has 267 polling stations spread across 96 premises. Of them, 84 booths have been identified as sensitive booths,” said Ray, the returning officer.
Areas under nine police stations of Kolkata Police fall within the constituency.
The entire Bhabanipur police station area is part of the constituency, along with parts of Kalighat, Ekbalpore, Watgunge, Park Street, Alipore, Shakespeare Sarani, New Market and Chetla police stations.