Repolling at 697 West Bengal booths today after violence rocks panchayat elections

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in various parts of West Bengal during its rural polls on Saturday.

Protests were organised by BJP, Congress, ISF, Independents and common people, who demanded repolling, after various cases of alleged false voting, death of 15 persons and large-scale violence were reported.

According to the State Election Commission (SEC), 80.71 percentage voting was recorded on Saturday. There will be repolling in 697 booths on Monday, it said. CPM Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said, "Polling was not free and fair in Panchayat polls and no other polls since 2011, when Trinamool came to power." Incidents of violence were reported in Murshidabad's Salar and Samsherganj's Hiranandapur, where continuous bombing was reported even on Sunday morning. Armed miscreants were seen roaming in the area and intimidating people amid Trinamool and Independent candidates clashing with each other in Samserganj, people in the know said. A young boy received a bullet injury during the clash.


On the day of polling, the highest death toll was reported in Murshidabad. Trouble erupted in East Midnapore's Nandakumar with BJP workers protesting vote loot and booth capturing by burning tyres. Roads were blocked on Haldia-Mecheda state Highway with logs. Two persons were detained, police sources said. BJP workers protested against vote looting and irregularities in the strongroom in Nandakumar. Police lathi-charged to bring the situation under control. BJP workers claimed false votes were cast inside strongrooms.

In North Dinajpur's Goalpokhor, people took to roads and demanded repolling. "People were carrying bags full of arms and we could not vote," a local woman said.