Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, Sept. 16. — Barring the removal of a presiding officer at a booth and vote boycott at another, both in Malda, the polling process was peaceful in the by-elections in the three parliamentary constituencies and an Assembly seat today. Stating this, Mr Debasis Sen, chief electoral officer, said that 63 per cent of votes had been polled during the day while 81 per cent votes were polled in the previous Assembly elections. The presiding officer was removed at booth number 27 at Mojampur Junior school at Kaliachak, the CEO said. He was removed after an allegation that he was trying to influence a sightless voter on the pretext of helping him. Voters of booth number 20 at Sahebramtala at Manikchak boycotted the polling. Irate over a “local issue”, they stayed away, Mr Sen said. In all, 75 per cent votes were polled at Bongaon while 56 per cent votes were polled at Purulia. While 69 per cent votes were polled at Katwa, 60 per cent votes were polled at Malda, the CEO said. The inspector general of police (Law and Order), Mr Raj Kanojia said that no incident of violence was reported during by poll to one Assembly and three Parliamentary constituencies today. “Polls were held peacefully and no incident of violence was reported from Purulia, Katwa, Malda and North 24 Parganas. Six persons were arrested and a few bombs were recovered from Bongaon. No arrest has been reported from Katwa, Purulia and Malda,” said Mr Kanojia.
Malda
An unspecified number of voters of polling station No. 20 at Manikchak boycotted the Malda Lok Sabha by-poll today in order to draw the administration and political leaders’ attention towards lack of basic amenities in the area, the district magistrate said. The agitators had boycotted the last Assembly polls for similar reasons but neither district officials nor political leaders made any effort to sort out their problems. “They intimated the district administration of their decision. Their problems would be looked into after the poll process ends,” district magistrate Mr Chittaranjan Das said. According to the district election officials, polling up to 3.30 p.m. today passed off peacefully with around 53 per cent of votes cast. The DM denied allegations of booth jamming and rigging. A presiding officer in Kaliachak had to be replaced for violating EC guidelines.
Katwa
The Katwa Lok Sabha by election passed off peacefully today. It marked 53 percent polling. The district administration sources said that polling was hampered for one hour at Pandua due to mechanical fault of an EVM. Also the Trinamul Congress complained of booth jamming by a section of CPI-M cadres at a booth at Pandua.
Purulia
The by-election for the Purulia Lok Sabha seat concluded on a peaceful note today. The DM, who is also the returning officer of Purulia, said that 60 per cent votes were cast. A repoll was ordered as the Electronic Voting Machine failed and polling was cancelled at booth no: 236/142 in Hesla Harijan Primary School in Arsha (Purulia). For challenging the identity of a voter, Mr Rabilochan Patra, a polling officer (2nd) was reportedly assaulted by the voter who had come to exercise his franchise with his university admit card to booth no: 238/108 at Kalidas Primary School.
Bongaon
The by-election to the Bongaon Assembly constituency in North 24-Parganas passed off peacefully today with 75 per cent electorate exercising their voting rights. The seat became vacant after Trinamul Congress legislator Bhupen Seth passed away within a month of the Assembly polls. Police recovered 9 live bombs and seized five two wheelers and one four wheeler from Bongaon today and arrested six persons for driving without licences. Neither the CPI-M nor the Trinamul Congress brought charges of electoral malpractice against each other. There was tension at the Belganga poling station after rumours that the Trinamul Congress agent had left the polling station after being threatened by some CPI-M cadres. Police reached the spot but no untoward incident was reported. To ensure trouble-free election, eight companies of paramilitary force and 700 state police personnel were deployed in 216 polling stations. Both Mr Saugata Roy, Trinamul Congress candidate and his rival from the CPI-M Mr Pankaj Ghosh were happy with the process of voting. #
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