Page 3 - Wb Panchayat Polls

11 people killed as rural West Bengal votes in panchayat polls: Official

At least nine people were killed in election-related violence in West Bengal as voting was underway on Saturday for the three-tier panchayat polls in the state, officials said. Among those killed were five TMC members, and one worker each of the BJP, CPI(M) and Congress, and the supporter of an Independent candidate, they said. Besides violent clashes that injured several people, ballot boxes were destroyed in at least two polling booths, they added. The polling began at 7 am in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of the state with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates. Till 9 am, 10.26 per cent voter turnout was recorded. Governor CV Ananda Bose visited different areas in North 24 Parganas district, and met people injured in the violence and interacted with voters. BJP polling agent Madhab Biswas was allegedly killed in Falimari gram panchayat in Coochbehar district, they said. The BJP alleged that when Biswas tried to enter the polling booth he was stop

Panchayat polls: TMC workers have been murdered, claims WB minister Panja

In a long Twitter post, TMC took on central forces for failing to ensure the safety and security of the people

Several people killed as West Bengal's rural areas vote in panchayat polls

Several people were killed in election-related violence in West Bengal as voting was underway on Saturday for the three-tier panchayat polls in the state, officials said. The polling started at 7 am in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of the state with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates, they said. BJP polling agent Madhab Biswas was allegedly killed in Falimari gram panchayat in Coochbehar district, they said. 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. The supporter of an Independent candidate died in Kadambagachi area in North 24 Paraganas district after he was beaten up overnight, police said. 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. Protesting against the killing, locals blocked t

WB polls: Polling booth vandalised, ballot papers set on fire in Coochbehar

Polling for panchayats in West Bengal began this morning under stringent security cover

Voting begins for 73,000 seats in West Bengal panchayat polls at 7 am

Polling began at 7 am on Saturday amid tight security for the West Bengal panchayat elections, in which about 5.67 crore people living in the state's rural areas are eligible to vote, officials said. A total of 2.06 lakh candidates are in the fray for elections to 73,887 seats in the three-tier panchayat system in the state, they said. The election assumes significance for political parties as it will serve as an opportunity for them to assess their organisational strengths and weaknesses ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, besides broadly outlining the mood of the state after two years of the TMC government's third consecutive term. Sporadic incidents of violence were reported across the state after the election dates were announced on June 8, resulting in the deaths of over 15 people. 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 Gorkhala

Police conduct searches after tip of bombs stockpiled in WB's 24 Parganas

Police said that they received information about bombs and weapons that had been stockpiled to create disturbance during polling for panchayats in the district

Solution to problems 'black ink on index finger': WB Guv ahead of polls

Speaking about the situation on ground and asking people to vote, he said, "It is depressing, gruesome that people in those areas are in a state of fear

Bengal Guv reaches Murshidabad to visit violence-hit areas ahead of polls

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose reached Murshidabad district to visit the violence-hit areas on Friday, a day before the rural polls in the state. He is expected to hold meetings with senior officers later in the day, a district official said. The governor reached Berhampore, the district headquarters, by train this morning and is expected to visit some places before returning to Kolkata this evening, he said. Bose will visit places like Domkal, Khargram, Navagram, and Beldanga, where clashes among political parties have been reported in the run-up to the rural polls. Meanwhile, fresh violence was reported in the Ranninagar area of Murshidabad, another district official said. The governor has previously visited Bhangar, Canning and Basanti in South 24 Parganas, and also in Cooch Behar district where clashes broke out between political parties. Bose had on Thursday alleged that State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha has failed in discharging his duties during the panchayat

With hopes for development, Bengal's hills ready to vote after 23 years

Residents of West Bengal's hills in the north are getting prepared to cast their votes in the July 8 panchayat polls after 23 years, even as nominees are doing last-minute canvassing before the trail ends on Thursday. Over the past one month, the candidates have walked to remote villages in their respective areas and listened to people's aspirations for development while sipping tea with them after being welcomed with traditional 'khada' (scarf) as a mark of respect. Despite being witness to violent bouts of agitation for Gorkhaland statehood, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts have largely been free from incidents of political violence so far in this election season, barring some isolated happenings, in stark contrast with the regular hurling of crude bombs and firing of bullets in the plains of West Bengal since the filing of nominations began a month ago. Roads, water, electricity, MGNREGA jobs, development of tourism and agriculture, corruption and minimum wages in tea and ...

WB Governor sends sealed envelope to SEC Sinha over failure to meet him

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose and SEC Rajiva Sinha could not meet as Sinha was busy with election work; on Monday, Bose had given Sinha 48 hours to rein in panchayat poll violence

485 more companies of central force sanctioned for WB rural polls: SEC

The West Bengal State Election Commission on Monday informed the Calcutta High Court that the Union Home Ministry has sanctioned the balance 485 companies of central force for the panchayat elections, taking the total to 822 companies. The SEC counsel submitted that 4,834 booths for the rural polls have been identified as sensitive, which is 7.8 per cent of the total 61,636 booths. The commission informed a division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam that it received intimation on Monday that the ministry has sanctioned 485 companies, in addition to the 337 approved earlier. The 822 companies of central force are higher than what was deployed during the 2013 panchayat elections, which was considered as the benchmark by the court for deciding their requisition for the July 8 polls. The high court had on June 21 directed the SEC to requisition more than 82,000 central forces' personnel for deployment in panchayat elections. During the hearing of contempt petitions agains

Don't want to be labelled villagers: 10K people living on Kolkata outskirts

More than 10,000 residents of high-rises in New Town on Kolkata's northern fringes, who live in panchayat area, have decided not to vote in the July 8 elections in West Bengal. New Town Forum chairman Samaresh Das said there are around 16,000 voters spread across several panchayats and that a majority of them are unwilling to exercise their franchise as they "do not wish to be labelled as villagers". "We have already collected signatures of 12,000 voters who have decided not to exercise their franchise besides demanding that the township be taken out of the jurisdiction of panchayats," Das said. Das said the forum has been campaigning in favour of a poll boycott and started putting up banners and hoardings across the township asking residents not to vote. Though the township is in panchayat areas, all civic services are provided by the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA). "Though we pay higher civic taxes than people staying in Kolkata Municipal Corporation areas, yet th

Bengal Guv visits violence-hit Dinhata, meets oppn ahead of rural polls

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday visited the violence-hit areas of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district and met the family members of a man who was killed during an incident of firing on June 27 ahead of the panchayat elections, an official said. The governor also visited a hospital in Cooch Behar where the injured in clashes are undergoing treatment. Bose is on a trip to the northern districts of the state. Earlier in the day, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik met the governor at the circuit house in the district. Bose also talked to candidates and leaders of the CPI(M), Congress and the BJP, who voiced their concern over alleged incidents of violence in Cooch Behar ahead of the July 8 rural polls. One man was killed and four others were injured in the incident of firing during a clash between two groups of people at Dinhata on Tuesday morning. At least four people were detained for their alleged involvement in the killing ahead of the panchayat

Bengal Panchayat polls: BJP only gives assurance, says Mamata Banerjee

The Chief Minister said that the state government is focusing on road connectivity so that people can go reach their destinations in a short time

TMC complicit in panchayat poll violence in West Bengal: Sitaram Yechury

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday alleged that the Trinamool Congress was complicit in violence in West Bengal and practising double standards by speaking for democracy to oust the BJP and denying the same in the state. The statement comes days after the CPI(M) and Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) took part in a meeting of opposition parties which resolved to fight together against the BJP. Referring to the panchayat polls in West Bengal, Yechury alleged that it has become a norm that elections under the TMC will be marked by large-scale violence and terror. He said 10 people have already lost their lives including a young CPI(M) activist Mansoor Alam. "They can't say they want democracy in India and therefore, oust the BJP, and then in Bengal ... you throttle democracy. That is not acceptable," he said at a press conference at the end of a two-day Polit Bureau meeting in Delhi. "Despite such politics of violence and terror, the people of West Bengal a

Cal HC sets aside probe order into tampering with rural poll nominations

A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday set aside a single bench direction to the CBI to probe into an allegation of tampering with documents and misrepresenting information provided in nomination papers of two panchayat poll candidates in Howrah district. The court, however, directed the West Bengal police to inquire into the matter under the supervision of a one-man commission of Justice (retd) Debiprosad Dey. The order of the division bench presided by Justice Arijit Banerjee came on an appeal by the state government challenging the direction of the single bench for CBI investigation. The police were directed by the division bench to file a report on the enquiry after three weeks before the single judge, before whom the petition was initially moved. Panchayat elections, however, are scheduled to be held in West Bengal on July 8. Justice Amrita Sinha had on June 21 directed the CBI to probe the allegations by July 5 and to file a report before the court on July 7.

Trying Oppn unity but Cong, CPI(M) singing different tunes in WB: Mamata

Days after the mega opposition meeting in Patna, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the role of CPI (M) and Congress, saying despite her efforts to form a grand opposition alliance against the BJP at the Centre, their actions as playing second fiddle to the saffron camp in the state are throwing a spanner in the efforts. Drawing the battle lines, opposition parties on Friday resolved to take on the BJP unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at a crucial meeting, even as fissures emerged with the AAP asserting that it would be difficult for it to be part of any such gathering in future till the Congress publicly supports it on the ordinance issues. Over 32 leaders, including Banerjee, of more than a dozen political parties, had attended the meeting hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna. "We are trying to form a grand alliance (Mahajot) against the BJP at the Centre. But the CPI (M) and Congress are trying to work with the BJP in Bengal. I will brea

Adhir Ranjan requests security for media during Bengal panchayat polls

Choudhury reminded the Governor that in the past, many media persons wore injured and killed in the incidents of violence

MHA offers to deploy 337 companies of central forces for WB panchayat polls

The State Election Commission (SEC) made a requisition for 822 companies for the upcoming WB panchayat polls to be held on July 8

Calcutta HC directs EC to deploy more Central forces than in 2013

The court observed that there are more districts now compared to 2013, and it is going to be a single-phased election while in 2013 there were five phases of elections