The polling day in West Bengal was marked with violence, vandalism and bloodshed. Eleven people were killed in the violence relating to the elections on Saturday.
Among those killed were six TMC members, one worker each of BJP, CPI (M), Congress and ISF, and another person whose political identity could not be known, said officials.
Polling booths and ballot boxes were vandalised and destroyed in several parts of the state. Voting was suspended at Indreshwar primary school in Dinhata after water was thrown into the ballot box.
Amid incidents of violence, workers of West Bengal BJP protested outside the State Election Commission (SEC) office in Kolkata.
Ballot box at a polling booth in Baranachina of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district was set on fire allegedly by angry voters.
#WATCH | West Bengal panchayat election | Ballot box at a polling booth in Baranachina of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district was set on fire allegedly by voters who were angry with bogus voting that was reportedly going on here. pic.twitter.com/6C5aC00uac
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2023
Amid ongoing violence, Governor C.V. Ananda Bose said elections must be held "through ballots not bullets".
He also added that the day should be considered as the "most scared for democracy".
Reportedly, Governor was stopped by some CPI (M) candidates to express their concerns on the violence.
"I have been in the field right from the morning...People requested me and stopped my motorcade on the way. They told me about the murders happening around them, told me about the goons not allowing them to go to the polling booths...It should cause concern to all of us. This is the most sacred day for democracy...The election must be through ballots and not bullets," said the Governor.
Meanwhile, West Bengal minister Shashi Panja asked why central forces "failed to protect the citizens".
After scuffle between TMC and BJP workers at a polling booth, residents of Dhamsa threw ballot boxes in a pond.
"This is not an election, this is death. There is a fire of violence across the state. Central forces have not been deployed. CCTVs are not operating. This is not voting but loot...This is the collusion of TMC goons and Police and that is why so murders are happening," West Bengal leader of opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikar was quoted by ANI.
TMC also claimed that three of the party workers have been “murdered” in Rejinagar, Tufanganj and Khargam.
The brother of a TMC leader was killed in a clash with Congress supporters in Malda district, said officials. The incident happened in Jisharattola in Manikchak police station area. The deceased was identified as Malek Sheikh.
TMC hit out at the central forces asking them “where are the Central Forces when they are needed the most?
TMC alleged that the central forces security personnels were causing hindrance in the polling process. "A BSF personnel was chased away by angry villagers in Gitaldaha-II in Cooch Behar after he tried to obstruct the polling process and create chaos," said TMC leader Partha Pratim Ray in a video.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Kaustav Bagchi said he made a representation to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court seeking to declare the elections null and void.
"I have prayed that the court take suo motu cognisance of the violence and killings and violation of the high court's earlier orders to ensure free and fair polls," he said.
Since the polls were announced on June 8, the widespread violence that broke out in the state has claimed over 20 lives.
The panchayat elections are underway for a single phase, with the counting of votes scheduled on July 11.
Despite the central forces and state police deployed in the polling booths the violence occurred in several areas. Earlier the Calcutta High Court had ordered the deployment of central forces to all polling booths on the voting day.
Reportedly, over 65,000 central police personnel and 70,000 state police personnel have been deployed. A total of 2.06 lakh candidates are in the fray for elections to 73,887 seats.
