West Bengal Panchayat Election: Voting underway amid violence, several killed

Polling for panchayats in West Bengal began this morning under stringent security cover.

Published on: Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM IST

Photos

Share via

• 
• 
• 
• 

Copy link

• 

1/8

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM

The polling started at 7 am in 73,887 seats in the rural areas of the state with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates, official said.  (ANI)

2/8

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM

Long queues were seen outside polling booths as early as 6 am with people turning out early amid the intermittent rains.  (PTI)

3/8

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM

Multiple incidents of violence have been reported in the state and several people were killed in the run-up to the panchayat elections.  (PTI)

4/8

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM

"The polling started peacefully, but Congress, BJP and CPI(M) are attacking TMC workers since last night. Three of our workers have died in Rejinagar, Tufanganj and Khargram. And, two of our workers were injured in Domkal. Where are the central forces?" TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh asked.  (PTI)

5/8

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM

At least 600 companies of central forces have been deployed for the elections along with around 70,000 state police.  (PTI)

6/8

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM

An elderly man is carried after he cast his vote for Panchayat elections at a polling station in Nadia district of West Bengal on Saturday. (PTI)

7/8

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM

Governor CV Ananda Bose visited parts of the North 24 Parganas district and interacted with the people.  (PTI)

8/8

View Photos in a new improved layout

Published on Jul 08, 2023 11:14 AM

There are 63,229 gram panchayat seats and 9,730 panchayat samiti seats in 22 districts, while 928 zilla parishad seats in 20 districts as Darjeeling and Kalimpong have a two-tier system with Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and Siliguri Sub-divisional Council at the top.  (PTI)