The voting for the assembly by-election in West Bengal’s Bhabanipur began at 7 am. Long queues were seen since early morning outside several booths across the constituencies. Voting will continue till 6:30 pm. The bypoll is seen as a litmus test for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is seeking to retain her turf after losing to BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari from Nandipur assembly constituency. Banerjee faces a two-way competition from BJP’s Priyanka Tibrewal, and CPI(M)’s Srijib Biswas.
As part of its elaborate security arrangements, the Election Commission has deployed 72 companies of central forces in the three constituencies, of which 35 are stationed in Bhabanipur alone, the officials said. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed within 200 metres of the polling centres.
Bhabanipur Bypolls Live Updates: Bhabanipur By Election Voting Percentage Live Updates, Check Live Coverage of Bhabanipur By Election Voting Here
Bhabanipur records 53.32% polling till 5pm
A clash broke out between BJP and TMC workers in Bhabanipur, where polling is still underway. The police reached the spot to take control of the situation.
Trinamool Congress' Sovandeb Chatterjee, who had resigned as an MLA from Bhabanipur so that chief minister Mamata Banerjee could contest from the seat for bypolls, casts his vote. "It's my pleasure to vote for her. She will win."
Voter turnout of 72.45%, 68.17% and 48.08% recorded till 3 pm in Samserganj, Jangipur polls and Bhabanipur bypoll, respectively.
Priyanka Tibrewal, the BJP candidate for Bhabanipur by-poll, alleges that TMC is paying some people to cast a vote. "A man confessed to me that TMC paid him Rs 500 to cast vote. He was from Bansdroni. I have informed the authorities," she says.
Mamata Banerjee will cast her vote at Mitra Institution at 3.15pm: All India Trinamool Congress
TMC leader Sayandeb Chattopadhyay releases a photo of him pushing a button on the EVM.
West Bengal: Voter turnout of 57.15%, 53.78% and 35.97% recorded till 1pm in Samserganj, Jangipur polls and Bhabanipur bypolls, respectively
TMC's Firhad Hakim terms Priyanka Tibrewal's (BJP) allegations against him about trying to influence the voters in the Bhabanipur constituency baseless. "Does having tea at a roadside stall tantamount to influencing voters? The BJP knows it will lose the by-poll and are now making lame excuses," said Hakim
Polling percentage at 11am in three West Bengal constituencies - 40.23% in Samserganj, 36.11% in Jangipur and 21.73% Bhabanipur
7.57 per cent polling recorded in first two hours of Bhabanipur by-election.
Bhabanipur constituency will today seal the fate of TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, who is looking to enter the state assembly before the end of her 6-month period of chief ministership without being an MLA
The Calcutta high court on Tuesday refused to stay the September 30 Bhabanipur bypoll, stating that the information furnished by the chief secretary of the state to the Election Commission was contrary to the facts regarding Covid-19 restrictions that had been extended up to September 30.
The BJP accused the Trinamool Congress of fanning violence ahead of the bypolls. BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh alleged that he was attacked by TMC workers during the last day of the campaign for the September 30 bypoll
Mamata Banerjee, who lost from the Nandigram constituency in the assembly elections earlier this year, has to win this by-poll to retain the chief minister's post.