Adhir Chowdhury writes to BSF, seeks deployment of additional forces for re-polling

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 10 : West Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Sunday wrote to BSF Inspector General (Eastern Command) SC Budakoti, asking him to deploy adequate forces to prevent recurrence of such incidennts during repolling in certain booths for the panchayat elections, on July 10.

The repolling is to be conducted on 697 booths spread across five districts in the state.

Chowdhury said as many as 19 people were killed during polling for the panchayats, adding that the presence of the central security forces in and around the polling stations will ensure that voters cast their votes fearlessly.

"During the panchayat elections on July 8, 19 people have killed, many others hospitalised and hundreds were injured by goons, members and supporters of the ruling (Trinamool Congress) party. Please deploy adequate forces under your command with proper directives to prevent a recurrence of similar occurrences on the re-polling date on July 10, 2023," the letter read.

"Please ensure central forces provide safety for all voters as well as Area domination with immediate effect because the ruling party's goons have started threatening the area wise, now re-polling date( tomorrow) voters should get umbrella support and the presence of central forces in and around all re-polling stations to cast their votes freely and fearlessly," it added.

Taking note of the violence during polling for the Bengal panchayats on Saturday, the State Election Commission (SEC) said re-polling will be held in Purulia, Birbhum, Jalpaiguri, Nadia and South 24 Parganas districts.

"The West Bengal State Election Commission, in the exercise of the powers conferred on it by sub-section (3) and sub-section (4) of Section 67 of the said Act, hereby fixes 10th day of July, 2023 as the date of taking the fresh poll at 07.00 hours to be continued up to 17.00 hours uninterruptedly till completion and direct the District Panchayat Election Officer to fix the polling station at which poll shall be taken," an official statement issued by SEC said.

The three-tier panchayat elections in 20 out of 30 districts were marked by widespread violence, looting of ballots papers and rigging.

A total of 10 people were killed and several injured in violence reported across the state during the panchayat polls.

There were reports of booth capturing, damaging of ballot boxes and assault of presiding officers from several districts such as Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Malda, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur and Nadia.

The BJP's West Bengal state general secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay wrote to the State Election Commission and demanded repolling.

"You will recollect yesterday the BJP WB delegation called on you and asked you to review CCTV/video footage to establish booths which have to be re-polled due to booth, looting, polling officers seen participating/helping in rigging/where BJP candidates agents forced to leave or removed from polling stations," the letter read.

Polling began at 7 am amid tight security in the state in 73,887 seats in rural areas of West Bengal, with 5.67 crore people deciding the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates.

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