West Bengal panchayat polls highlights: Violence rocked Bengal’s rural polls as voting ended on Saturday leaving 12 people dead, ballot boxes vandalized and bombs thrown at rivals in a number of villages. The 12 deceased include eight from the ruling TMC and one worker each of the BJP, CPI(M) and Congress who died since midnight in the crucial three-tier panchayat polls, according to officials. Polling began at 7 AM in 73,887 seats with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates. Till 5 pm, 66.28 per cent voter turnout was recorded.
There are 63,229 gram panchayat seats and 9,730 panchayat samiti seats in 22 districts, while 928 zilla parishad seats in 20 districts as Darjeeling and Kalimpong have a two-tier system with Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and Siliguri Sub-divisional Council at the top.
West Bengal panchayat elections Highlights: 12 people have been killed in poll-related violence in the state.
The voter turnout till 3 PM stands at 50.21 per cent.
Two children were injured in a blast in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district which happened when they picked up a crude bomb from the roadside mistaking it to be a ball. The incident happened in Bhangor amid the polling for panchayat elections in the state. The two children, aged between 8 and 10, were admitted to a hospital, he said.
"The two children mistook the crude bomb for a ball, and as one of them touched it, it went off. Security forces were sent to the area to find if any more bombs were there," an official said.
BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters that the state used to be a centre of art, culture and science. Now, it is known for "crimes, anti-national activities and dangerous appeasement".
He alleged that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government has been using criminals for violence during the elections by giving them protection.
Cutting across ideological lines, all parties in West Bengal condemned the killing of nine people in various parts of the state as voting for the panchayat elections is underway.
The opposition BJP and CPI(M) alleged that the State Election Commission (SEC) did not deploy the central forces as per the orders of the Calcutta High Court.
The ruling TMC, which lost five of its supporters to poll violence, questioned the absence of central forces that have been brought in for the elections.
TMC workers allegedly destroyed the Barasat's Jhikra FP School polling booth.
Nikhil Ranjan Dey, BJP MLA, South Coochbehar, says, "...Our party worker Mahadeb Biswas who was a polling agent was killed early morning by TMC goons...we will see them in High Court, we won't spare Rajiva Sinha (State Election Commissioner)..." (ANI)
The supporter of an Independent candidate died in Kadambagachi area in North 24 Paraganas district after he was beaten up overnight. The deceased was identified as 41-year-old Abdullah. He died while undergoing treatment at a local hospital in the morning, Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Mukherjee said.
BJP polling agent Madhab Biswas was allegedly killed in Falimari gram panchayat in Coochbehar district. The BJP alleged that when Biswas tried to enter the polling booth he was stopped by TMC supporters, and as the situation escalated, they killed him. The TMC denied the allegations.
BJP demands CRPF deployment in Raiganj. Polling has been halted in Raiganj, reports PTI.
Voters are lining up to cast their votes for the West Bengal panchayat elections, which began at 7 AM.
A Congress worker, Phoolchand was killed during the nomination process for Panchayat election in Khargram and Governor CV Ananda Bose met his family yesterday.
A 52-year-old TMC worker identified as Sateshuddin Sheikh was killed in Khargram of Murshidabad. His body has been brought to a hospital for postmortem. (ANI).
"Three of our party workers have been murdered in Rejinagar, Tufanganj and Khargram and two have been left wounded from gunshots in Domkol," alleges TMC.
Hello readers! Welcome to Financial express online live blog! Catch all updates on the West Bengal Panchayat elections here.
The ruling TMC is contesting on all the 928 seats in zilla parishads, 9,419 seats in panchayat samitis and 61,591 seats in gram panchayats. The BJP has fielded candidates in 897 zilla parishad seats, 7,032 panchayat samiti seats and 38,475 seats in gram panchayats. The CPI(M) is fighting 747 zilla parishad seats, 6,752 panchayat samiti seats and 35,411 gram panchayat seats. The Congress is contesting 644 zilla parishad seats, 2,197 panchayat samiti seats and 11,774 gram panchayat seats.