THE FIRST PHASE of polling in 30 Assembly constituencies unfold throughout 5 districts in West Bengal on Saturday was marred by sporadic incidents of violence, complaints of rigging, and snags in Electronic Voting Machines. The state recorded nearly 80 per cent (79.79 per cent) voting.
Assam, in the meantime, registered 76.89 per cent polling within the first part masking 47 of the state’s whole 126 Assembly constituencies. The first part will determine the destiny of a number of political heavyweights together with incumbent Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, state Congress chief Ripun Bora and jailed activist Akhil Gogoi.
In West Bengal, 4 out of 5 eligible voters solid their poll in every of the 5 districts: Purba Medinipur (82.51%), Jhargram (80.55%), Paschim Medinipur (80.12%), Bankura (79.9%) and Purulia (77.13%).
As many as 191 candidates, together with 21 girls, are contesting within the first part. Of the voters dimension of 73.8 lakh, feminine voters quantity 36.27 lakh and male 37.52. Both the BJP and the Trinamool are contesting 29 seats every out of the entire 30.
“Apart from some sporadic incidents, the polls in 30 constituencies were conducted peacefully. At least 10 people have been arrested in different incidents,” mentioned Aariz Aftab, Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal.
In Assam, a complete of 264 candidates, together with 23 girls, are within the fray on this part, which has a complete of 81.09 lakh eligible voters. A complete of 11,537 polling cubicles had been arrange for the primary part. While the Congress, a part of the ‘mahajat’ has fielded its candidates in 43 out of 47 seats, the BJP is contesting in 39.
After casting his vote in Dibrugarh, Sonowal tweeted, “My vote for the protection of Sabhyata, Sanskriti and overall development of Assam.” Posing along with his household after casting his vote in Gohpur, the Congress chief Bora informed the media that individuals needed a change and a Congress-led authorities within the state.
Polling in West Bengal started underneath heavy deployment of Central forces — 732 firms within the 5 districts.
Earlier within the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the individuals to vote. “Today, Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begin. I would request all those who are voters in the seats polling today to exercise their franchise in record numbers,” he tweeted.
An enormous conflict erupted in Patashpur in East Medinipur Friday evening between TMC and BJP staff during which two safety personnel suffered critical accidents. Two individuals had been later arrested. On Saturday, Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate for the Salboni constituency, Sushanta Ghosh, was attacked by unknown individuals. State CEO Aftab mentioned seven individuals had been arrested within the case.
During the day, the Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of capturing cubicles in Medinipur, and the Central forces of not permitting individuals to vote. Such complaints emerged from Kanthi Dakshin underneath Purab Medinipur and Garbeta in Paschim Medinipur. TMC supporters additionally alleged that within the South Contai Assembly constituency, regardless of voting for TMC, votes had been registered in BJP’s favour.
Sources within the Election Commission in Delhi dismissed TMC’s allegations with regard to malfunctioning EVMs. To TMC’s declare that voters within the Kanthi Dakshin Assembly seat solid their vote for TMC however these had been registered in favour of BJP within the VVPAT machine, an EC official mentioned, “We got this claim verified and it was incorrect. In polling station 216, a VVPAT malfunctioned and it was subsequently replaced with another machine. However, some people had protested outside the polling station and interrupted voting briefly. The Presiding Officer of the polling station even submitted a report to us about this incident.”
The BJP, then again, accused Trinamool of malpractices, and in addition claimed the present Assembly elections to be much less violent as compared with these prior to now.
In Contai, BJP chief Suvendu Adhikari’s brother Soumendu’s automobile was attacked after he alleged that individuals had been being stopped from casting their vote within the space. “TMC goons were rigging three booths. When we protested they ransacked my car. I was inside and somehow not injured,” mentioned Soumendu Adhikari.
A delegation led by BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya met the CEO after the incident. “This is the first election in six years with fewer instances of rigging and violence. To avoid even 10 per cent of such cases in Phase 2, we demanded that the EC round-up anti-social elements,” he mentioned.
A nine-member Trinamool delegation led by MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay too met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) at 12 midday and raised objections over the BJP’s proposal to alter the present process on sales space brokers. “We have submitted a memorandum saying let the previous system — which required the polling agent to be a voter in the concerned booth — be retained,” mentioned Bandopadhyay.
These guidelines can, nevertheless, be revised, mentioned CEO Aariz Aftab.