Malda, July 18: The district administration today wrote to the state election commission requesting it to shift four polling stations that are waterlogged after the recent floods.

Malda district magistrate G. Kiran Kumar said three of the four booths are in Harishchandrapur II block and one is in Gajole.

The decision to shift the polling centres was taken after an all-party meeting yesterday.

“On Tuesday, the block development officers of the affected areas held meetings with political parties and sent us a report. On the basis of the report, we held a meeting yesterday and today we wrote to the state election commission mentioning our recommendation,” Kiran Kumar said.

It has been proposed that polling stations 81, 81A and 81B, all in Daulatnagar High School in Harishchandrapur II block, be shifted to Daulatnagar Junior Basic High School and in Gajole, booth 81 in Bidhannagar Primary School be shifted to Ahil Gopal Bhakat Gangasagar Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra.

“There is waist-deep water around these polling stations and we have decided to shift them. Although the level of water in the Fulahar river has receded, some low-lying areas in Gajole and Harishchandrapur II blocks are still under water,” said the district magistrate.

Officials at the state election commission in Calcutta said they had no objection to the four booths being shifted and they would convey the information to the state government so that necessary arrangements could be made.

Around 25,000 people from the two blocks have been affected in the recent floods.

The district goes to vote on July 22.

Trinamul district president and minister of state for women and child development Sabitri Mitra blamed the state election commission for the inconvenience.

“We wanted the polls to be held after the rains. But it seems everyone, other than the state election commission, knows that there is flooding in these areas at this time of the year,” she said.

The CPM expressed doubts over how many people would come out to cast their votes in this situation.

“Thousands of people have left their homes and are staying on embankments or they have shifted to relatives’ places elsewhere. The state government’s delaying the panchayat elections is turning the entire process into a farce,” said Ambar Mitra, Malda district secretary of the CPM.