According to the Election Commission (EC), till 9 am, about 715 complaints were lodged by political parties, alleging electronic voting machine (EVM) malfunctioning, agents being stopped from entering polling booths and voters being threatened or stopped from going to cast their votes in different constituencies.
Polling is being held in nine seats in West Bengal amid tight security arrangements – Dum Dum (10.86 per cent), Barasat (12.94 per cent), Basirhat (15.66 per cent), Jaynagar (13.13 per cent), Mathurapur (13.54 per cent), Diamond Harbour (14.16 per cent), Jadavpur (13.46 per cent), Kolkata Dakshin (10.16 per cent) and Kolkata Uttar (8.92 per cent).
An Assembly bypoll is also being held in Baranagar constituency under the Dum Dum Lok Sabha seat. About 11 per cent polling was recorded here.
At Bhangar in Jadavpur constituency, a clash broke out between supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Indian Secular Front (ISF). Crude bombs were also hurled by the supporters of both parties. When the police reached the spot, protests broke out as both parties hurled allegations against each other and the police had to resort to a lathi charge to disperse the mob. Some crude bombs were also recovered from the area. The EC has sought an action-taken report on this incident.
Later, in the Phulbari area in Bhangar, another clash broke out between workers of TMC and ISF which forced the police and central force to use batons to disperse the mob.
At booth numbers 40 and 41 in Kultali in South 24 Parganas district, an EVM and voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machine were reportedly thrown into the water. However, the Election Commission said that they were reserve machines.
“The polling process has not been vitiated. Those which were kept in reserve were thrown in water. We have sought a report from the presiding officer,” said a senior EC official.
CEO West Bengal said in a post on X, “Today morning at 6.40 am Reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP school, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC has been looted by local mob and 1 CU, 1 BU , 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond.”
It added, “Sector Police was a little behind. FIR has been lodged by Sector Officer and necessary action has been initiated. Poll process in all six booths under the Sector is running uninterrupted. Fresh EVM and papers have been provided to the Sector Officer.”
Meanwhile, three voters received head injuries at Canning in South 24 Parganas district when they went to cast their votes. The voters alleged that they were attacked by TMC workers.
At Diamond Harbour constituency, CPIM candidate Pratik ur Rahman allegedly caught fake voters and agents from polling booths. In Kolkata Dakshin constituency, BJP candidate Debasree Chaudhuri chased away outsiders from polling booths.
In Dum Dum constituency, CPIM candidate Sujan Chakraborty help his party agent sit in a polling booth after he was threatened and beaten up by TMC workers.
At Cossipore in Kolkata Uttar constituency, BJP candidate Tapas Roy faced protests from TMC workers after he visited some polling booths. He was also subjected to ‘go back’ slogans.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee went to Mitra Institution in Kolkata Dakshin constituency to cast his vote. “People are voting in a festive mood in all nine constituencies. The weather has also improved and there is not much heat. This will allow people to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise. I hope that they will give a befitting reply to the Centre for depriving Bengal of funds in the last five years. There will be a reflection of that in today’s voting,” he said after coming out of the polling booth.
Meanwhile, at Bermajur area in Sandeshkhali, the BJP alleged that TMC workers and policemen threatened its polling agents Friday night after visiting their homes. Sharing video clips, the party said the women of Sandeshkhali have once again protested the TMC government’s move to terrorise the people ahead of the last phase of elections.
“The brave women of #Sandeshkhali have chased away corrupt and compromised West Bengal Police. Our women leaders are speaking to them and each one of them will vote against the tyranny of Mamata Banerjee. This is a fight like none other and will be taken to logical conclusion,” BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya wrote in a post on X.
A total of 1.63 crore voters, including 83.19 lakh men, 80.20 lakh women and 538 persons of the third gender, are eligible to exercise their franchise at 17,470 polling stations.
Click here for real-time updates on the Lok Sabha 2024 Exit Poll results