Bengal panchayat polls: Nomination filing ends with three deaths on last day

Kolkata, June 15 The process of filing nominations for the July 8 panchayat elections in West Bengal ended on Thursday with three deaths reported on the last day.

The three deaths include one CPI(M) candidate at Chopra in North Dinajpur, one All India Secular Front (AISF) candidate, and one Trinamool Congress nominee at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district.

In total, four persons have died in nomination-related violence since the process started on June 9. On the very first day, a Congress activist was shot dead at Khargram in Murshidabad district.

Following the rising incidents of violence, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered deployment of central armed forces throughout the state for the rural civic body polls.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has sought a detailed report from the State Election Commission (SEC) on the violence during the nomination filing phase.

According to NCSC vice-chairman Arun Halder, if the SEC fails to send the report, State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha will be summoned to Delhi.

On Thursday afternoon, Basisrhat in North 24 Parganas district turned violent following clashes between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters after 11 saffron camp candidates reached the local block development office to submit their nominations.

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