THE FIRST STAGE of voting in 30 Assembly constituencies spread over five West Bengal districts on Saturday was marred by sporadic incidents of violence, complaints of tampering and problems with electronic voting machines. The state registered nearly 80 percent (79.79 percent) of votes.
Assam, meanwhile, recorded 76.89 percent of polls in the first phase that covered 47 of the total 126 constituencies of the state Assembly. The first phase will decide the fate of several political heavyweights, including the current Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the head of the state Congress, Ripun Bora, and the jailed activist Akhil Gogoi.
In West Bengal, four out of five eligible voters cast their vote in each of the five districts: Purba Medinipur (82.51%), Jhargram (80.55%), Paschim Medinipur (80.12%), Bankura (79 , 9%) and Purulia (77.13%). ).
Up to 191 candidates, including 21 women, compete in the first phase. Out of the electorate size of 73.8 lakh, female voters number 36.27 lakh and men 37.52. Both the BJP and Trinamool are contesting 29 seats each out of a total of 30.
“Apart from a few sporadic incidents, the polls in 30 electoral districts were carried out peacefully. At least 10 people have been arrested in different incidents, ”said Aariz Aftab, West Bengal’s electoral director.
In Assam, a total of 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray in this phase, which has a total of 81.09 lakh eligible voters. A total of 11,537 polling stations were installed for the first phase. While the Congress, part of the ‘mahajat’ has presented its candidates in 43 of the 47 seats, the BJP is competing in 39.
After casting his vote in Dibrugarh, Sonowal tweeted: “My vote for the protection of Sabhyata, Sanskriti and the general development of Assam.” Posing with his family after casting his vote in Gohpur, Congressional Leader Bora told the media that the people wanted change and a congressional-led government in the state.
The elections in West Bengal began with a strong deployment of the central forces: 732 companies in the five districts.
Hours earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the people to vote. “Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begins today. I would ask all those who are voters in the polls today to exercise their right to vote in record numbers, ”he tweeted.
A massive clash broke out in Patashpur in East Medinipur on Friday night between TMC and BJP workers in which two security personnel suffered serious injuries. Two people were subsequently arrested. On Saturday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate for the Salboni constituency, Sushanta Ghosh, was attacked by unknown persons. The state’s chief executive, Aftab, said seven people were arrested in the case.
During the day, the Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of taking booths in Medinipur and the central forces of not allowing people to vote. Such complaints arose from Kanthi Dakshin under Purab Medinipur and Garbeta in Paschim Medinipur. TMC supporters also alleged that in the South Contai Assembly constituency, despite voting for TMC, votes were recorded in favor of BJP.
Sources at the Election Commission in Delhi dismissed TMC’s allegations regarding the EVM’s malfunction. To TMC’s claim that voters in the Assembly seat Kanthi Dakshin cast their vote in favor of TMC but registered in favor of BJP on the VVPAT machine, an EC official said: “We verified this claim and it was incorrect . At polling station 216, a VVPAT malfunctioned and was later replaced by another machine. However, some people protested in front of the voting table and briefly interrupted the voting. The president of the polling station even sent us a report on this incident. “
The BJP, for its part, accused Trinamool of bad practices and also claimed that the current elections to the Assembly were less violent compared to those of the past.
In Contai, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s brother Soumendu’s vehicle was attacked after he alleged that people were being prevented from casting their vote in the area. “The TMC thugs were setting up three booths. When we protested, they ransacked my car. He was inside and somehow he wasn’t hurt, ”Soumendu Adhikari said.
A delegation led by BJP National Secretary General Kailash Vijayvargiya met with the CEO after the incident. “This is the first election in six years with fewer cases of manipulation and violence. To avoid even 10 percent of those cases in Phase 2, we demand that the EC round up antisocial elements, ”he said.
A nine-member Trinamool delegation led by MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay also met with the Electoral Director (CEO) at 12 noon and raised objections to the BJP’s proposal to change the existing procedure on booth officers. “We have submitted a memorandum saying that the old system be maintained, which required the election agent to be a voter in the booth in question,” Bandopadhyay said.
However, these rules can be revised, said CEO Aariz Aftab.
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