Sporadic clashes mar Bengal civic elections

KOLKATA/MURSHIDABAD/JALPAIGURI: Sporadic incidents of violence marred elections to 107 municipalities across West Bengal on Sunday even as a voter turnout of around 49.91 per cent was recorded till 1 PM, election officials said.

Elections were scheduled in 108 municipalities, but the TMC had won one civic body uncontested in Dinhata in Coochbehar district a few days back, a State Election Commission official said. He said the polling began at 7 AM and will continue till 5 PM.

Till 1 PM, 49.91 per cent of 95.6 lakh voters exercised their franchise in more than 2,000 wards amid tight security and strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.

“Sporadic incidents of violence were reported. We noted disturbances in a few areas and took action. The overall situation, however, was peaceful,” the senior SEC official.

Few outsiders were found in queues at some polling booths in Barrackpore and Dum Dum municipalities in North 24 Parganas district.

In Bhatpara municipality, the pocket borough of BJP MP Arjun Singh, the situation was tense as sporadic clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters.

Singh had heated arguments with Trinamool Congress members when he went to some wards in Bhatpara Municipality. A BJP candidate smashed an EVM, alleging rigging by TMC members, in one of the wards. The TMC denied the allegations of foul play.

Singh demanded that even local body elections in West Bengal be held under the Election Commission of India.

“The SEC has become an agency of Trinamool Congress. We think it is high time to ask for the amendment of rules to ensure polling is not reduced to a mockery of democracy,” he told reporters. In Murshidabad district, the Congress party leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Chowdhury, was seen rushing from one area to another as reports of Congress and the Left candidates being beaten up surfaced in the media.