West Bengal | Mamata Banerjee Urges State Election Commission To Defer Municipality Polls Amid Coronavirus Scare

The Trinamool Congress on Sunday urged the state election commission to postpone the upcoming municipality polls in West Bengal amid the prevailing pandemic coronavirus. The state government has also directed all the schools and colleges to remain shut till March 31. While the West Bengal government has already issued advisories in the state, the party has asked the SEC to defer the polls as all must unite to fight the pandemic.

Meanwhile, six people are in isolation in hospital while 1,977 are under home surveillance among the 2,56,682 people screened in West Bengal since the global outbreak of coronavirus. No one has tested positive for the fatal disease in the state so far, according to a health department official.

Statement by All India Trinamool Congress #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/4CCzu4HWIs

— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) March 15, 2020

Of the half-a-dozen patients hospitalised with suspected coronavirus symptoms, four -- three Indians and a Peru national -- have been kept at the state's referral health facility for infectious diseases ID Hospital Beliaghata.

According to the reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have agreed to the idea of deferring the polls. The campaigning has allegedly been hampered by the restrictions due to COVID-19.