Voting for West Bengal Panchayat Elections kicks off with reports of large scale violence against workers of Opposition Parties, booth capturing, elections rigging and murders.
West Bengal is gripped in violence as voting ensues for the 2023 Panchayat Elections. Numerous incidents of violence, vandalising poll booths, looting or destroying ballot boxes and multiple killings were reported in the state.
BJP’s Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has alleged that the Central Forces have not been deployed and that the violence is a result of West Bengal Police’s “collusion” with TMC goons.
“This is not an election, this is death. There is a fire of violence across the state. Central forces have not been deployed. CCTVs are not operating. This is not voting but loot…This is the collusion of TMC goons and Police and that is why so murders are happening,” he told ANI. He cast his vote for the panchayat elections at a polling booth in Nandigram.
Various incidents of violence have been reported from different districts in the state. Several incidents of ballot box and ballot paper looting, as well as destruction, were reported from numerous polling booths in the State. The BJP has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being involved in the incidents.
West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar has shared several photos and videos, alleging that the TMC workers are involved in perpetrating large-scale violence against BJP supporters. He further alleged that TMC is attempting to rig the elections. He further claimed that Mamata Banerjee and Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, are responsible for the murders.
Majumdar has also questioned the blatant flouting of electoral procedures, uploading photographs and videos, showing the destruction, theft or manipulation of ballot boxes. He tagged Mamata Banerjee and the Chief Electoral Officer in a series of tweets, asking whether these elections could be held as free and fair elections.
Majumdar shared a video of a goon threatening people with a country-made pistol, with his friends throwing bricks at them to chase them away. He claimed that this is the reason why Mamata Banerjee opposed the deployment of Central Forces in the state.
He tweeted, “The reason why Didi opposed the central forces .. so that his goons can openly use the gun at booths.”
Majumdar retweeted ANI wherein the residents of Nandigram Block 1, Purba Medinapur, have said that they would boycott the panchayat elections until Central Forces are deployed on booths. ANI reported a voter’s comments, Govind, who said, “There is no Central force here. Booth capturing keeps happening here by TMC. They do bogus voting even in the name of the deceased. We won’t allow voting here unless Central forces come here…” The West Bengal BJP Chief said, “Shame on CM @MamataOfficial. Democracy is vanished in the state and it’s a dark chapter of the India’s electoral history. SEC has failed to deploy central forces despite court orders.”
Congress Leader Moves Calcutta High Court
West Bengal’s Opposition Parties stand united in voice against the alleged violence perpetrated against their workers by the ruling TMC during the West Bengal Panchayat Elections. Congress leader Kaustav Bagchi has made a representation before the Calcutta High Court’s Chief Justice, TS Sivagnanam, seeking an urgent hearing to declare the ongoing panchayat elections null and void on account of large-scale violence and killings.
It is reported that till noon about 6 people were killed in West Bengal during the panchayat elections, which started at 7 AM, and another three in the alleged poll-related violence since midnight. The Congress leader has sought the constitution of a special bench for an urgent hearing on July 8. “I have prayed that the court take suo motu cognisance of the violence and killings and violation of the high court’s earlier orders to ensure free and fair polls,” he said.
West Bengal Panchayat Elections
West Bengal went to vote for the panchayat elections today, on July 8, starting at 7 am and till 5 pm. The votes would be counted on July 11. About 2,06,295 candidates contest across all three levels – Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samitis and Zilla Parishads – for the 2023 Panchayat Elections. While TMC has fielded a total of 71,938 candidates, BJP is contesting 46,404 seats.
The CPI(M) and Congress are contesting on a total of 42,910 and 14,615 candidates respectively. In 2018, the TMC emerged victorious across all three levels securing 95 per cent of seats in the Zilla Parishads, 90 per cent in the Panchayat Samitis and 73 per cent of the Gram Panchayat seats. Notably, there were various instances of violence during the 2018 elections as well. In 2018, the TMC won uncontested in 34 per cent of seats and has won numerous seats in the 2023 elections uncontested as well.
Controversies Around Panchayat Elections 2023
The West Bengal Panchayat Elections are marred with controversies, from large-scale violence and killings of Opposition Parties’ workers to the forced withdrawal of about 20,585 nominations of Opposition parties’ candidates to ruling TMC’s candidate Mohinuddin Gazi filing nomination while in Saudi.
On July 6, the Calcutta High Court directed the West Bengal Police to submit a report on allegations that people supporting BJP are being implicated in false criminal proceedings to prevent them from participating in or carrying out political activities in the West Bengal Panchayat Elections 2023.
The court said, “Since allegation has been made that supporters of a particular political party are being implicated in a criminal proceedings unnecessarily this Court finds it apt to direct the Superintendent of Police, Cooch Behar, to make an enquiry upon deputing competent senior police officials of the district and prepare a report and submit the same on the next date of hearing of the writ petition.” The court was hearing West Bengal BJP MLA Malati Rava Roy’s Writ Petition expressing apprehension that there will be further deterioration of law and order in her constituency during the ensuing panchayat elections.
Notably, BJP Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari had moved the Calcutta High Court alleging that the State Election Commission’s wilful non-compliance with the court’s past orders, especially orders pertaining to directions for requisitioning Central Forces to ensure free and fair elections in the state.
On June 21, the court’s Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Uday Kumar, criticised the State Election Commission for requisitioning mere 22 companies of Central Forces, compared to the deployment of 825 companies in 2013.
The court’s oral remarks indicated a sense of doubt about the State Election Commission’s independence. The court further remarked that the Commissioner could step down if unable to take orders, and that the Governor would appoint someone else. The court further remarked that if the commission is “so busy” then they “wind up their business,” stating that if they can’t handle it that they should leave it to the court.
However, the controversies do not end with requisitioning inadequate Central Forces. On June 22, the court’s single judge, Justice Amrita Sinha, heard the case concerning a TMC candidate Mohinuddin Gazi filing nominations from Saudi Arabia. She said, “Some candidates are filing nominations without going (to the centre). Where is the candidate? What needs scrutiny? What are the officers doing?”
Notably, Justice Amrita Sinha directed a CBI probe into a case concerning tampering with the nomination documents of two candidates on June 21, stating that it would not be prudent for the state investigation agency to probe the matter. The court directed the CBI to file a detailed report by July 7, a day ahead of the Panchayat Polls.
On June 22, the Calcutta High Court sought a response from the West Bengal State Election Commission on the anomalous situation concerning the 2023 Panchayat Elections, wherein an astronomical 20,585 withdrawal of nominations has taken place. The court directed the commission to file their affidavit by June 27, 2023 and listed the case for the next hearing on June 28. In the abovementioned case, the court noted that the court had been flooded with cases concerning the West Bengal Panchayat Elections, observing that the court’s Regular Bench, another Division Bench of the court, and two single-judge benches of the court are engaged with the cases concerning the Panchayat polls.
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