Kolkata: Altogether 78 contestants remained in fray for the April 24 second phase Lok Sabha election in West Bengal after the withdrawal of nominations was over, state`s Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta said here on Wednesday.
The six Lok Sabha constituencies going to the poll in the second phase are Raiganj, Balurghat, Malda (North), Malda (South), Jangipur and Murshidabad.
With no withdrawal being registered, a total of 12 contestants each are in fray for the constituencies of Raiganj, Balurghat and Murshidabad, while 17 candidates will fight it out in Malda (South) and 14 in Malda (North).
Eleven contestants are in fray for the Jangipur seat in Murshidabad district, he said.
Since Malda (South) seat has 17 contestants altogether, two ballot units in each polling stations would be used. This is becasue the EVM has provision for maximum 15 candidates, the CEO said.
For the third phase election, 91 candidates have filed nominations.
The candidates who have filed nominations from nine Lok Sabha constituencies for the April 24 poll are 19 from Howrah, 13 from Uluberia, 11 from Birbhum, 10 from Serampore, 9 each from Hooghly and Burdwan (East), 8 from Burdwan-Durgapur, 7 from Bolpur and five from Arambagh seats.
The four parliamentary seats Coochbehar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, which are going to poll on April 17 in the first phase, have 47 contestants altogether.
