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Seven-phase Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal (Lead)

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New Delhi/Kolkata, March 10 (IANS) West Bengal will have a staggered seven-phase polling for its 42 Lok Sabha constituencies, the Election Commission announced on Sunday.

Only two other states – Uttar Pradesh and Bihar – will have such an election spread over all seven phases, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said at a press conference in New Delhi.

A total of 6,97,60,868 people are eligible to exercise their choice as per the final publication of voter list on January 14 at over 78,000 polling stations situated at around 54,000 polling premises.

Two constituencies — Cooch Behar and Alipurduars in northern part of the state – will go to the hustings in the first phase on April 11.

The second phase will see polling in three constituencies, including the hotbed of Gorkhaland movement Darjeeling, in the north Bengal hills, where Union Minister and BJP leader S.S. Ahluwalia is likely to contest.

North Bengal’s Jalpaiguri and Raiganj will also go to polls on the same date. Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Mohammad Salim is re-contesting from Raiganj.

Five constituencies – Balurghat, Malda North and Malda South in north Bengal plains and Jangipur and Murshidabad in Murshidabad district – will vote in the third phase on April 23.

The fourth phase of polling on April 29, will feature eight constituencies – Baharampur, Krishnanagar, Ranaghat, Bardhaman East, Bardhaman-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur and Birbhum. Congress MP and former state party President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is expected to fight from Baharampur, while BJP leader and Union Minister Babul Supriyo is likely to contest from Asansol.

In the fifth phase, voters of seven constituencies in and around Gangetic West Bengal – Bangaon, Barrackpur, Howrah, Uluberia, Srerampur, Hooghly, Arambag – will exercise their democratic choice on May 6.

Former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi could be the ruling Trinamool Congress’s candidate from his old seat Barrackpur.

Eight more constituencies – Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura, Bishnupur – will witness polling in the sixth round on May 12. A number of these constituencies fall within the once Maoist-affected Jangalmahal area.

The remaining nine constituencies– Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Joynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata South and Kolkata North – situated within North and South 24 Parganas and Kolkata, will be up for grabs in the last phase on May 19.

The votes will be counted on May 23.

Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, Aariz Aftab said there are 577 ‘P-2’ polling stations in the state in north Bengal hills, Darjeeling and the Sundarban areas near the Bay of Bengal. In these constituencies, polling personnel will be sent two days before the election date.

“We have adequate manpower and vehicles. Also VVPAT machines will be provided to each polling station where the electorate will be able to see whom they have voted for. Security arrangements like the flying squads, static surveillance teams are already operational,” he said.

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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