New Delhi, 12/04/2019: FOR INDEX: A view of Election Commission of India in New Delhi on Friday.
A senior official noted that about 100 reports were filed by BJP party with the Election Commission of India (ECI) through West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on false voting, violence and intimidation experienced during Wednesday’s (July 10) parliamentary by-elections for four constituencies at the State level. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has denied all these accusations and called them “baseless”.
“Although there are several reports of violence, but in general yesterday election was calm. Whenever there were such violence and malpractices we took prompt action or whenever our officers informed us about them,” said CEO Ariz Aftab.
According to sources from CEO office, this will be responded by July 11 showing the acts taken or initiated so far by the poll conducting body vis-à-vis those complaints.“On that day, Maniktala, Bagdah, Ranaghat Dakshin and Raiganj Assembly seats conducted the bye-polls”.
An official said that three persons were arrested at Bagdah for allegedly threatening voters and assaulting a candidate running under BJP ticket while two were detained at Ranaghat Dakshin assembly constituency due to similar reasons.
Raiganj witnessed the highest number of voters with a turnout of 67.12%, followed by Ranaghat Dakshin, which had a turnout rate of 65.37%, then came Bagdah with a voter participation rate of 65.15% and Maniktala with 51.39%.
For example, at six p.m., when polling officially ended queues could be seen outside polling booths indicating higher turnout.
In another incident reported from Bagdah, Maniktala and Ranaghat Dakshin, TMC activists belonging to BJP were being assaulted by TMC goons, thereby obstructing them from entering some of the polling booths.
Ranaghat Dakshin and Badgah BJP candidates Manoj Kumar Biswas and Binay Kumar Biswas complained that they were not allowed into some places.
Binay Kumar Biswas said, “After complaints reached me that TMC goons are assaulting our workers in the booth, I was denied entry into the booths”. BJP activist Manoj Biswas alleged that camp offices of his party in some areas were ransacked by TMC.
On the day of polls Mr. Chaubey also had to face protests while trying to enter a booth in his constituency where he was greeted with “go back” slogans by alleged TMC activists. The police dispersed the crowd later on. On July 10 thereafter he visited CEO’s office demanding repolling at 89 booths.
“Some TMC women along with few goons surrounded me and gave ‘go back’ slogans,” he said as he demanded repolling at 89 booths as these allegations have turned bypolls into farce.”
Kunal Ghosh of Trinamool Congress termed this as baseless allegation and argued that it is just an escape route for BJP as it faces failure on these elections.
“These excuses are coming from a party knowing well that they can’t win this election. People of Bengal are with us, we have proved it during Lok Sabha polls and we are going to show it again through bye-elections,” Kunal Ghosh said.
In the last general elections held for Parliament, TMC clinched victory in 29 seats while BJP won 12 seats followed by Congress which got one seat only.
The last raiganj assembly elections were won by the saffron camp. However, it became vacant after the TMC secured The Maniktala seat in 2021 on account of the death of former State Minister Sadhan Pandey in February 2022. In 2021, all three seats were won by the BJP but their MLAs later switched their party to the TMC. On July 13th, votes will be counted.
