West Bengal panchayat polls: 15 killed on polling day as violence rages on in state

The highest number of deaths have been reported from Murshidabad, Cooch Behar and Malda; government employees forum to move HC after polling staff assaulted

The single-phase panchayat elections concluded in West Bengal on Saturday, with a voter turnout of 66.28 per cent, with as many as 15 persons losing their lives in poll-related violence across the state. The maximum number of deaths was reported from Murshidabad district at five, followed by two each in Cooch Behar, East Burdwan, Malda and North Dinajpur districts, and one each in South 24 Parganas and Nadia districts.

With this, a total of 34 persons have lost their lives in poll-related violence that broke out after the announcement of the polling date on June 8. In an apparent attempt to shed responsibility for the bloodbath, State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha said, “No one can predict who will shoot whom and when. Preventing violence is the responsibility of those who are posted at the district level. The task of the commission is to make arrangements for the polls.” 

Reports of heckling and beating up of polling staff also came from different parts of the state. The joint forum of state government employees has blamed the “utter mismanagement” on part of the State Election Commission for the plight of the polling officials.

“We have been saying since the beginning that the safety of polling staff cannot be ensured without the deployment of central armed forces. The on-ground presence of the central forces was hardly visible on polling day. The Commission has failed miserably in ensuring safety as per the order of the Calcutta High Court. So, we have decided to file a contempt petition against the State Election Commissioner and other officials of the poll panel before the Calcutta High Court,” said joint forum convener Bhaskar Ghosh.

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