A voter turnout of around 74 per cent was recorded till 5 pm in the four seats of West Bengal where polling was conducted during the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday.
According to officials, till 5pm, Murshidabad clocked the highest voter turnout at 76.49 per cent among all four constituencies, followed by Maldaha Dakshin (73.68 per cent), Maldaha Uttar (73.30 per cent) and Jangipur (72.13 per cent).
While the Election Commission of India (ECI) stated that polling was largely peaceful with “one or two isolated incidents of violence”, the ruling TMC, BJP and the CPI (Marxist) filed complaints with the poll panel alleging voter intimidation and attack on both agents. “Polling is more or less peaceful so far. About 73.93 per cent average voter turnout has been recorded till 5 pm in four constituencies,” said an EC official. The EC received 433 complaints till 5 PM, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies.
In Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency, an alleged scuffle broke out between BJP candidate Dhananjay Ghosh and TMC block president Goutam Ghosh. Dhananjay alleged that the TMC leader was intimidating voters outside a polling station. “When I protested, he tried to overpower me. This is the kind of politics the TMC wants so that their candidate wins the election,” Dhananjay told reporters. He also filed a complaint against Goutam with the poll panel.
The TMC, meanwhile, filed a complaint with the EC against Dhananjay, accusing him of intimidating voters. “BJP’s thirst for violence never ends! Their MP candidate from Jangipur, Dhananjay Ghosh, stormed in with CRPF thugs and harassed our Block President. @ECISVEEP, when will you grow a spine and stand against this hooliganism?” the TMC posted on X.
In Englishbazar area under Malda Dakshin seat, the BJP accused the TMC of beating up its booth agents. The Congress levelled allegations against the ruling party in Ratua area of Malda district. Both Opposition parties have moved the EC over the two incidents.
Meanwhile, TMC workers staged protests in Malda district while alleging that central forces were helping BJP supporters in intimidating workers in some booths of Maldaha Uttar seat.
CPI(M) Murshidabad candidate and the party’s state general secretary Mohammed Salim claimed that TMC activists were preventing voters from entering the booth at Raninagar area in Murshidabad district and lodged a complaint with the EC.
In one of the booths, Salim alleged that he identified a “fake TMC agent” who was later arrested by the police. “I have no faith in the state police. I’ve called up the Additional SP to assist the voters or I’ll chase the unwanted people obstructing the voters from entering polling booths,” Salim told reporters. In Rabinagar area of Murshidabad, there were reports of CPI(M) booth agents allegedly being heckled by TMC workers.
“The TMC has unleashed a reign of terror in the entire constituency. Strict action must be taken by the Election Commision,” the CPI(M) leader said. Around 10am, joint teams of CAPF and state police conducted raids in Domjur sub-division areas and dispersed gatherings within 200 metres of polling booths. Sources said a youth was also detained for crowding near a polling booth at Shekhalipara area of Domjur. Police also dispersed similar gatherings in Mehedipara and Natunpara areas of Domjur.
In Mehedipara, TMC polling agent Jhilla Rahman (58) accused the central forces of vandalising the party’s booth office. “We had set up a booth office here since early morning to assist voters. Police did not say anything. However, at 1pm, central forces and state police came over and vandalised our booth office. They seized our chairs,” said Rahman.
For third phase polling in Bengal, the ECI has deployed 334 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) along with 13,600 state police personnel, to ensure fair and peaceful polling.
Azahar Ali (62), a resident of Shekhalipara area of Domjur, said, “Every election, we witness bombing and violence in these areas. But, this year, everyone voted peacefully.”
As per officials, 73,37,651 voters – including 36,12,395 women and 154 belonging to the third gender – were eligible to exercise their franchise, across 7,360 polling stations in the four seats. — With PTI inputs