Re-polling announced at over 600 booths after violence mars panchayat elections
The Bengal State Election Commission ordered repolling in booths where voting has been declared void. This comes a day after violence rocked the West Bengal panchayat elections.
A day after violence marred the Bengal panchayat elections, the State Election Commission on Sunday declared the poll void at several polling stations. The SEC announced that a fresh poll will be held on Monday, July 10, from 7am to 5pm.
Re-polling for the Bengal Panchayat elections will be held at 604 booths on Monday–10th July
In Murshidabad, re-polling will be held at 175 booths; 112 in Malda; 89 in Nadia; 46 in North 24 Parganas; 36 in South 24 Parganas; 31 in Purba Medinipur; 29 in Hooghly; 18 in Dakshin Dinajpur; 14 in Jalpaiguri; 14 in Birbhum; 10 in Paschim Medinipur; 8 in Bankura; 8 in Howrah; 6 in Paschim Bardhaman; 4 in Purulia; 3 in Purba Bardhaman; and 1 in Alipurduar.
In South 24 Paragans, re-polling will take place at 36 booths, including 10 in Diamond Harbour; five each in Gosaba and Joynagar; four in Basanti; three each in Kultali, Joynagar II; two in Mandir Bazar; and one each in Bishnupur, Baruipur, Mathurapur, and Magrahat.
Bengal witnessed a violence-filled day on Saturday as polling for the panchayat elections were held. At least 19 people were killed in violence during polling in the state. Several incidents of vandalism of ballot boxes and ballot papers were also reported during the day.
The State Election Commission (SEC) had sought detailed reports on the deaths and violence from the district magistrates (DMs).
A total of 73,887 seats in the state’s three-tier panchayat system went to the polls, with lakh 2.06 lakh candidates in the fray. A voter turnout of 66.28 per cent, provisionally, was recorded, while 5.67 crore people living in the state’s rural areas were eligible to vote.