Panchayat ELECTIONS going on in state; violence erupts Congress & BJP

After the Karnataka Assembly elections, it is now time for another state to go for voting.

After a 3-tire campaigning ended in West Bengal on Saturday evening, the state is currently voting.

The voting began at 7 AM to elect 38,616 representatives. The voter turnout seems to be good as indicated by the long queues outside the polling booth.

The polling takes place across 20 districts in West Bengal amid violence, and 1500 security forces have been deployed for the polls.

The ruling Trinamool Congress has already won 34% of the total seats unopposed — 20,076 out of the total 58,692 seats — with no rival candidate filing nominations for the seats at all three levels — panchayat, panchayat samiti and the zila parishad.  As a result, elections are required in only 66% of the total seats.

It has been predicted that the BJP may emerge as the main opposition after the panchayat elections, leaving the Left Front and the Congress far behind, even as Trinamool will win a majority of the seats.

Nearly 71,500 armed personnel are on duty, manning every booth, as part of the arrangements in place for providing security for smooth conduct of the panchayat elections. Armed forces have arrived from Assam, Odisha, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh to strengthen the security arrangements.

The panchayat elections are taking place after several incidents of pre-poll violence and weeks of legal battles over security for candidates.

Meanwhile, a CPM worker’s house has been burnt with 2 party workers charred to death.

Crude bombs were hurled in Asansol and also on Cooch Behar.

Meanwhile, stirring a big row, a BJP worker was slapped outside a polling booth. A minister of the state had slapped the BJP worker in Cooch Behar, which has lead to a ruckus in the district.

READ ALSO: During panchayat poll nomination filing, one killed: West Bengal

A look at the important facts and figures

31,836 gram panchayats, 6,158 panchayat samitis and 822 zilla parishads across 20 districts are going to polls

Number of eligible voters: 5,08,35,002

Polling time: 7 am to 5 pm

Re-polling, if any, will be held on May 16. Re-polling will be ordered where polling percentage is 15% more or less than the average polling percentage of the tier of the block concerned

This is the first time in Bengal panchayat polls that people will be able to cast votes by showing Aadhaar cards

Other documents voters can show (apart from EPIC): Driving licence; service identity cards with photographs issued to employees by state, Centre and undertakings; passbooks with photographs issued by banks or post office; PAN card; MGNREGA card; health insurance smart card; pension documents; SC/ST/OBC certificate; freedom fighter identity card; arms licence with photograph; physically disabled certificate with photograph.

Nearly 71,500 armed police personnel, 80,000 civic volunteers and 1800 personnel from other states deployed. One armed personnel and a lathi-wielding constable have been deputed in each of the 47,451 booths.

2.4 lakh polling personnel will carry out the exercise across 20 districts

There will be 190 observers, including 20 special observers who will monitor and ensure peaceful polling

State Elections Commission (ESC) control room numbers: 033-22805803 and 033-22805804

District-wise details

Birbhum: The zilla parishad has 42 seats, and none will see any contest. The Panchayat Samiti has 465 seats, of which 405 are uncontested. Gram Panchayat has 2,247 seats with 1,967 uncontested.

Burdwan West: Trinamool Congress has won one out of total 17 zilla parishad seats, 95 out of 161 panchayat samiti seats, and 532 out of 833 gram panchayat seats, uncontested in this district

Purulia: All 38 Zilla Parishad seats are going to polls in the district.

South 24 Parganas: As many as 28 of the 81 Zilla Parishad seats have gone to TMC without any contest

Hooghly: 1,358 out of 3,192 gram panchayat seats, 261 out of 607 panchayat samiti seats and 13 out of 50 zilla parishad seats are uncontested in the district

Nadia: Three out of 47 zilla parishad seats, 82 out of 541 panchayat samiti seats and 518 out of 3,209 gram panchayat seats will see no contest

Burdwan (East): 17 out of 58 zilla parishad seats, 396 out of 618 panchayat samitis and 2,096 out of 3234 gram panchayat seats are uncontested.

Bankura: There will be no contest for 31 out of 46 zilla parishad seats, 341 out of 535 panchayat samiti seats, and 1593 out of 2505 gram panchayat seats in this district.