Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged the Election Commission to announce the by-election in the state. While addressing the media, the Trinamool Congress supremo said, “COVID situation in West Bengal is totally under control. People have the right to cast their votes & to be elected to the Assembly. Election Commission must announce the by-elections as we should not curtail the democratic rights of people.”
As per the official bulletin, West Bengal reported 561 new COVID-19 cases and eight deaths on Sunday, as per an official bulletin. The state has so far reported 18,364 COVID-19 deaths and 15,42,986 cases, it said.
The recovery rate in the state rose to 98.20 per cent with 686 more people getting cured of the disease in the last 24 hours, the bulletin stated. The state reported a positivity rate of 1.53 per cent during the day. There are 9,461 active cases in the state at present, the bulletin said. A total of 15,15,161 patients have recovered so far, it said.
The government had earlier extended the COVID-related restrictions in West Bengal till August 30 with relaxations in the curbs during the night hours. “The COVID situation in Bengal is quite good but the danger of the third wave is still lurking. This is one of the reasons we have not allowed local trains,” Banerjee said, addressing a press conference.
Here are the latest West Bengal lockdown guidelines:
- Full lockdown during the night will now be from 11 pm to 5 am, instead of 9 pm to 5 am.
- Cinema halls and swimming pools in West Bengal can now operate at 50 per cent capacity from Sunday.
- Traffic restrictions in the state eased as the government has allowed traffic to ply during the new night curfew.
- Local trains will not be allowed to operate till August 31, the state government said.
- These trains will only be functional after the target of 50 per cent vaccination is achieved in the state.