At least eleven people were killed in West Bengal panchayat election violence since midnight, officials said. Voting is underway across 73,887 seats in the state, which began at 7 AM. Among those killed were five TMC members, and one worker each of the BJP, CPI(M) and Congress, and the supporter of an Independent candidate. Besides violent clashes that injured several people, ballot boxes were destroyed in at least two polling booths. About 5.67 crore people living in the state’s rural areas are eligible to vote. At least 600 companies of central forces have been deployed for the elections along with around 70,000 state police.
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West Bengal Panchayat Elections 2023: Date, schedule, results – All you need to know
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. Long queues outside polling booths were seen as early as 6 AM with people turning out early amid the intermittent rains.
14:50 (IST) 8 Jul 2023
West Bengal panchayat election live: Two children injured in South 24 Paraganas district
Two children were injured in a blast in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district which happened when they picked up a crude bomb from the roadside mistaking it to be a ball. The incident happened in Bhangor amid the polling for panchayat elections in the state. The two children, aged between 8 and 10, were admitted to a hospital, he said.
“The two children mistook the crude bomb for a ball, and as one of them touched it, it went off. Security forces were sent to the area to find if any more bombs were there,” an official said.
13:29 (IST) 8 Jul 2023
West Bengal panchayat election live: BJP leader hits out at Mamata Banerjee
BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters that the state used to be a centre of art, culture and science. Now, it is known for “crimes, anti-national activities and dangerous appeasement”.
He alleged that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government has been using criminals for violence during the elections by giving them protection.
13:28 (IST) 8 Jul 2023
West Bengal panchayat elections live: Political parties condemn killings
Cutting across ideological lines, all parties in West Bengal condemned the killing of nine people in various parts of the state as voting for the panchayat elections is underway.
The opposition BJP and CPI(M) alleged that the State Election Commission (SEC) did not deploy the central forces as per the orders of the Calcutta High Court.
The ruling TMC, which lost five of its supporters to poll violence, questioned the absence of central forces that have been brought in for the elections.
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