In the first five hours of polling for the three-tier panchayat system in West Bengal, the voter turnout has reached 36.66% by 1:30 p.m.
Unfortunately, the death toll on Saturday has increased to 12, raising concerns over the electoral process.
Murshidabad district has reported the highest number of deaths, with four casualties, followed by two each in Malda and East Burdwan districts.
Nadia, South 24 Parganas, North Dinajpur, and Cooch Behar districts have each recorded one death.
Since the announcement of polling dates on June 8, the total death count has reached 31, with 19 casualties recorded until Friday evening and 12 more added since Saturday morning.
Opposition leader in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, directly contacted State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha on Saturday afternoon, questioning the commissioner on the escalating death toll and expressing his concerns.
Adhikari also threatened to organize a march towards the State Election Commission after 6 p.m. when the official polling time concludes.
He further added that he intends to march to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat, South Kolkata, with the determination to continue his battle against her.
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh stated that the polling process has been relatively peaceful, except for some isolated incidents of violence in certain areas.
Ghosh compared the situation to the violence witnessed in Manipur and emphasized that among the casualties during the elections, the majority have been affiliated with the Trinamool Congress.
Meanwhile, Koustav Bagchi, a Congress leader and counsel of Calcutta High Court, has written a letter to Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, urging him to take suo-moto cognizance of the panchayat poll violence and declare the election “null and void.”
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has requested Justice Sivagnanam to question the State Election Commissioner regarding the lack of priority given to the orders of the Calcutta High Court.
The CPIM leadership has announced their plan to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) at the Calcutta High Court on Monday. (Edited)