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Bengal poll body under fire for its failing to control violence
The state police and the election overseer did not comment on the number of people who died till the time of filing of this report
The role of the West Bengal state election commission came under fire on Saturday over its alleged failure to ensure a free and fair panchayat election after 18 people were killed on polling day amid allegations of booth capturing and rigging from across the state.
The state police and the election overseer did not comment on the number of people who died till the time of filing of this report. Afte Saturday’s violence, 37 people have been killed since the state poll panel announced the election dates on June 8, making it the bloodiest rural local body elections in the past decade.
“These are crimes. There would be police complaints, investigations and arrests. Police will take action. We are getting frequent calls. We received around 1,200-1,300 complaints of violence in booths. It would neither be right to say that polls were peaceful nor it would right to say that there was large scale violence. We have to analyse the reports before coming to any conclusion,” Rajiva Sinha, state election commissioner, told the media on Saturday morning.
The state election commission came under heavy criticism from the opposition and governor CV Ananda Bose over its failure to check violence and reluctance to deploy central paramilitary forces. On Saturday, political parties alleged the forces were not adequately deployed in sensitive areas to prevent violence.
The spectre of violence emerged soon after voting began at 7am. Clashes erupted across districts, with reports of ballot papers being burnt and vote rigging.
“Violence started the day after the poll panel announced the dates of the election in June. These deaths occurred because of the failure of the chief minister, the state poll panel chief and the state police chief,” said Md Salim, veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader.
As the violence continued unabated, Congress leader Kaustav Bagchi sent a letter to the chief justice of the Calcutta high court TS Sivagnanam, seeking judicial intervention in the poll violence. He also lodged a complaint against Sinha at Titagarh police station.
“I seek an immediate judicial intervention with regard to the present panchayat poll violence that is taking place at the behest of the ruling dispensation in connivance of the state election commission and the state administration,” he wrote.
Leader of the opposition in the state assembly Suvendu Adhikari said that the BJP would move court on Tuesday and even locked the main gate of the SEC office in Kolkata on Saturday evening.
The state poll panel chief was recently pulled up by the Calcutta high court for failing to implement its orders regarding deployment of central forces.
“We have no hesitation in our mind to hold that the order has not been complied with in letter and spirit. We fail to understand why the State Election Commission is still not taking an independent decision on the matter. If it is very difficult for the commissioner to take orders he can step down. Probably the Governor may appoint someone else,” the court had said on June 21.
Earlier this week, Bose slammed the state election commissioner, accusing him of failing in his duties. “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 said.
“SEC is least bothered about what’s happening today. Presiding officers running away in fear…Chappa voting. This all happened in West Bengal today. This has shamed the state. This is happening under the guidance of the CM who has colluded with the SEC,” tweeted Sukanta Majumdar, state Bharatiya Janata Party president.
West Bengal received 681 companies of central forces till Saturday. But opposition parties alleged that even these forces were not properly deployed to prevent violence.
“Around 61,290 central force personnel were deployed in the state till Saturday to ensure free and fair polls. They were deployed at sensitive booths and polling stations. There were no reports of any violence in the areas where central troops were deployed,” a Border Security Force officer said, declining to be named.
The state poll panel, after being pulled up and directed by the Calcutta high court, sought 822 companies of central forces.
“There was, however, much dilly-dallying on the SEC’s part when the deployment plan of the forces was sought. Had they provided the deployment plan, the movement and deployment would have been faster,” the officer said.
At Khargram in Murshidabad, BSF personnel fired two rounds in the air to prevent looting of ballot boxes in a booth.
The BJP alleged that central forces were not used to prevent violence. Majumdar sent a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah, seeking central intervention to restore democracy in the state.
“Very few booths enjoyed central armed police forces, while maximum booths were covered by police personnel and even civic volunteers. The Calcutta high court order was violated. No clarification on deployment of central forces was published by the state election commission,” he wrote in the letter.
The ruling Trinamool Congress party hit back, saying the border guarding agencies were trying to influence voters to vote for a particular party.
“The opposition colluded and were clamouring for central forces. Where are the forces? Why did they fail to protect the citizens? They were being called as guardians of peace. They have faltered and failed to protect the rights of citizens,” said state women and child development minister Shashi Panja.
The ruling party also said that out of the 62,000-odd polling stations, major violence took place in eight to nine booths. There were violent incidents, including minor clashes, in around 60 booths, according to Kunal Ghosh, TMC spokesperson.
In some booths, where there were only a single armed policeman, the presiding officers were heckled and ballots looted. Voting officials were terrified and some broke down in tears (according to villagers).
