Voters queue outside a polling station.
State Election Commissioner SR Upadhaya told PTI, “Till one pm, over 40 per cent polling was recorded. 43 per cent polling was registered in Bidhannagar and Siliguri while Asansol recorded 47 per cent polling.”
Mr Upadhaya said that the SEC has been receiving numerous complaints about malpractices, rigging and violence.
“We have received complaints of rigging and violence both from political parties and individuals. In some places media personnel were also attacked, we have seen the video footages. We have asked the police to take necessary action,” he said.
Accusing TMC of unleashing a reign of terror to loot votes in the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, CPI(M) called 12-hour bandh in Bidhannagar-Rajarahat area on Monday protesting against alleged violence and malpractices.
Announcing his party’s decision to call a bandh on Monday, CPIM leader Gautam Deb said, “We will organise protest march tomorrow against rigging and malpractices by TMC. They are trying to take away the democratic rights of the masses”.
When asked whether the SEC would toy with the idea of repolling in various wards where there have been allegations of malpractices, Mr Upadhaya said, “These are allegations. It needs to be backed up by evidence that there have been malpractices. Then only we can take an action and prepare report.”
Senior officials of SEC and state police said there were reports of outsiders trying to jam booths in various wards of Bidhannagar and Asansol municipal corporations.
“There were reports of bombs being hurled in Jamuria and Bidhanagar and people being stopped from casting their votes. We are taking stock of the stutation,” an official said.
Few media personnel were also beaten up while covering the incidents of malpractices.
The polls are a precursor to next year’s assembly elections in Bengal with ruling Trinamool Congress and its arch rival Left Front once again pitted against each other.
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