COOCH BEHAR & KOLKATA, April 19, 2024 (TBINN)
Sporadic incidents of violence marred the first phase of Lok Sabha Polls in the three parliamentary constituencies of Bengal, as T.M.C. and the B.J.P. workers clashed with each other in various parts of violence-prone Cooch Behar Seat.
Both, the T.M.C. and B.J.P. lodged 80 and 39 complaints, respectively, related to poll-violence, voter intimidation and assaults on poll agents in the first few hours of polling, sources from both parties said. Most of the complaints were from Cooch Behar and Alipurduars constituencies.
“We have received a few complaints, but we have no reports of violence so far,” a senior officer of the C.E.O. office said.
According to officials, Cooch Behar recorded 33.68 per cent, while Alipurduars and Jalpaiguri recorded 35.20 and 31.94 per cent polling, respectively, by 11 A.M.
“By 11 A.M., the average polling was around 33.56 per cent,” an official said.
All three seats are reserved, with Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri for S.C.s and Alipurduars for S.T.s.
A total of 37 candidates, including Union Minister and B.J.P. leader Nisith Pramanik (Cooch Behar), are in the fray in three constituencies.
The T.M.C. alleged that B.J.P. workers had thrashed polling agents in Sitalkuchi Area of Cooch Behar Constituency and voters were stopped from entering few booths.
In another area of Mathabhanga, T.M.C. workers staged a protest following allegations that Central forces were assisting B.J.P. workers in rigging votes at some booths in the area. The T.M.C. block president from Bethguri, Anant Barman, was hospitalised after allegedly being beaten up by B.J.P. members.
“The B.J.P., along with Central forces, has unleashed a reign of terror to rig the elections. Our workers are being harassed and beaten,” North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha said.
Today voting began at 7 A.M. and will continue until 6 P.M.
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