E-Paper
West Bengal: Death toll mounts; HC orders deployment of forces after poll results
There are more than 61,000 polling stations in West Bengal. The Union ministry of home affairs had sanctioned 822 companies of central forces and state armed police for the July 8 panchayat polls
At least three persons were killed on Wednesday across West Bengal, taking the total death toll to 18 since June 8, when panchayat poll dates were announced.
Meanwhile, apprehending post-poll violence, the Calcutta high court ordered that central forces should remain in the state for at least ten days after the poll results.
“There are chances of post-poll violence in victory processions of winning candidates, etc. Therefore, let the central forces be deployed for 10 more days after the declaration of results,” said a division bench of chief justice TS Sivagnanam and justice Uday Kumar.
On June 21, the high court had directed that central forces be deployed in all polling stations across the state. There are more than 61,000 polling stations in West Bengal. The Union ministry of home affairs had sanctioned 822 companies of central forces and state armed police for the July 8 panchayat polls.
Also Read: How the victim of Bengal’s political violence became a BJP campaigner
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who took stock of the law and order situation by visiting violence-hit areas, said on Thursday that the state’s election commissioner has failed in his duties in the run-up to the crucial panchayat polls in the eastern state.
In three separate incidents that took place on Wednesday, three people were killed in Murshidabad, Birbhum, and South 24 Parganas, respectively.
According to police, one Kamal Sheikh was killed in an explosion while he was allegedly making crude bombs at Beldanga in Murshidabad district; Dilip Mahara, the husband of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed independent candidate was found dead at Md Bazar in Birbhum and in Kulpi in South 24 Parganas one Alfazuddin Halder, who was seriously injured in a clash on Monday, succumbed at a hospital in Kolkata on Wednesday.
The three-tier panchayat polls are scheduled on July 8. Counting would be held on July 11. Thursday was the last day of campaigning.
The governor has been visiting violence-hit areas over the past two weeks and meeting families of victims. On Monday, Bose had given the poll panel 48-hour time to act against ongoing poll violence in West Bengal.
“If democracy is dead during this panchayat election, who is the killer? Will the state election commissioner please raise his hand? You should know who are the killers. You are the custodian of the lives of the people during the election,” Bose said in a press conference at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata.
“I appointed you. You disappointed the people. My Constitutional appointee, you have failed in your duty in my opinion. You have failed the people,” he added.
Also Read: WB panchayat poll violence: 17-year-old killed in crude bomb explosion
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) hit back at Bose, saying that the governor was acting on behalf of the BJP.
“What he did today makes him an agent of the BJP. He is doing politics. He could have complained against the SEC and sent a letter to the President. But instead, he held a press conference and used his post to influence the people ahead of the polls. He is doing a mockery. After July 11 (after panchayat results are declared), he won’t come out in shame,” Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson told the media.
Hitting back, BJP blamed chief minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC for the violence in the state to take political control.
“TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and her party want absolute political control. They want to win the elections without any opposition and uncontested. That’s why the present commissioner has been placed there. Every politically aware person knows what is happening and what would happen. There is no ambience to hold free and fair polls,” Samik Bhattacharya, BJP spokesperson told the media.
There was no comment from West Bengal state election commission officials.
