Kolkata Civic Polls: 60% turnout amid sporadic violence

60 per cent turnout amid sporadic violence in municipal elections

About 60 per cent of the voters today turned up to elect their representatives in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) amid sporadic political clash and violence across the city.

According to the state election commission, the overall voting percentage in 144 wards od KMC was around 60 per cent till 3 pm. However, it may go up as polling was still being conducted in some of the booths.

There have been reports of sporadic violence across the city since moring.  Most of the cases were allegations of booth capturing, obstruction of voters against Trinamool Congress. Such incidents were mostly reported from Metiaburuj, New Garia, Ganguly bagan in South Kolkata and Cossipur, Barrabazar, Chadni Chawk area of North and central Kolkata. In fact, bombs were hurled allegedly by TMC-supported goons many of these areas, including one near a polling booth at Counil House Street next to Rajbhavan (Goveron's House).TMC, however, contested all such allegations claiming the voting was ''peaceful”. There were also incidents of scuffle between the CPI-M and TMC workers in many polling booths.

CPI-M, BJP and Congress, however, alleged “TMC goons, cooperated by police” controlled the polling today. Opposition parties may even demand for re-polling in some of the booths.

Even the state election commission too, acknowledged that the “polling was not conducted in an ideal environment.” “Had there been an ideal environment, there should not have been so many complaints. In some cases voters were not able to cast their votes independently.  We are waiting for a detailed report. There may be repelling in some cases,” state election commissioner Susanta Ranjan Upadhya said.TMC had won in 97 wards in 2010 lead in the 141-member KMC board and widely expected sweep to register yet another comfortable electoral victory. BJP, candidates had finished second to TMC in both Kolkata North and Kolkata South constituencies in 2014 Lok Sabha, is fighting it out with CPI-M to become the number two party in KMC.

The dismantled Congress party, on the other hand, is fighting to keep its account open in KMC by winning in at least a couple of wards.