In lungi? Can't vote, say forces as Bengal polls see odd curbs and scattered incidents
Telegraph | 30 April 2026
Bengal’s second and last phase of Assembly elections concluded on Wednesday across 142 constituencies spread across Calcutta and six districts. Although largely peaceful, some incidents, ranging from the bizarre to the violent, did surface.
The Telegraph takes a closer look:
‘Unfit’ attire
Two elderly voters, Desher Ali Mondal and Ganesh Majumdar, who went to booth 189 at the Kuchila Primary School of the Gobordanga Assembly constituency, South 24-Parganas, wearing “lungi”, were told by the central security forces to go home, change, and come back. “The central force personnel at the booth denied me entry and said I could not go in and vote wearing a lungi,” said Mondal, adding he walked back home around 800 metres away, put on a pair of trousers belonging to his grandson, went to the booth again and exercised his franchise. Majumdar, too, did the same.
“We fail to understand why we were stopped. There is no directive of the Election Commission regarding voter attire,” said Majumdar.
Candidate attacked
Bikash Sardar, the BJP candidate of the Basanti Assembly seat in South 24-Parganas, was attacked by suspected Trinamool supporters. Sardar’s car was ransacked as he reached booth 76 of the constituency. He also alleged that Trinamool supporters assaulted him.
Councillor row
Shyamaprasad Banerjee, the Trinamool councillor of ward 21 of Burdwan town under the Bardhaman South Assembly seat, who sat on a chair at a road crossing in the Gurpatty locality of the town since morning, faced accusations from Moumita Biswas Mishra, the BJP candidate of the seat, that he was trying to influence voters.
The police and central forces intervened. Brandishing batons, they asked the councillor to leave the spot, which he did.
Ink on lotus
Abhaya’s mother, the BJP candidate of the Panihati Assembly seat in the North 24-Parganas, alleged an ink blot on the party’s symbol button of the EVM in booth 208 of the seat. Following her complaint, officials intervened, and the blot was removed using sanitiser. Abhaya’s mother alleged that earlier in the day, some people shouted slogans and demonstrated against her before a “mute police force”.
Cabbie protest
Around 50 cab drivers engaged in election-related duties staged a blockade on NH12 in Krishnanagar, Nadia, on Wednesday, after they were disallowed from voting in their respective booths. The presiding officers told them that postal ballots had been issued in their names, which is why they could not vote at the booths. The angry cab drivers protested. Eventually, cops cleared the blockade. The Election Commission has been informed, sources said.
Ammo found
An improvised firearm was recovered by the police and central forces patrolling the area from the Panpur-Keutia panchayat area under Jagaddal Assembly constituency of North 24-Parganas on Wednesday. In the Ketugram Assembly seat of East Burdwan, six crude bombs were found near booth 35.