Priya Aditi
West Bengal panchayat election results: The results of the West Bengal panchayat election, viewed as a litmus test for the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, are being announced on Tuesday amid tight security from the central forces and the state police.
The tallying of ballots began at 8 a.m. At each tallying center, central forces will be deployed and CCTV cameras will be installed.
Top ten updates on the panchayat election results in West Bengal:
1.According to the SEC, as of Tuesday at 10.30 p.m., the TMC won 28,985 gram panchayat seats and was in the lead in 1,540 seats in the rural elections marred by violence. Its closest competitor, the BJP, has won 7,764 seats and is in the lead in 417. There are elections for 63,229 gram panchayat seats in total.
2.The Left Front has secured 2,468 seats, while the CPI(M) has won 2,409 seats on its own. Currently, the Left is in the lead in 260 seats. The Congress won 2,022 seats and is currently in the lead in 139. Other parties won 725 seats and held the majority in 23 seats, while independents, including TMC dissidents, won 1,656 seats and held the majority in 104 seats.
3.The re-voting, which was ordered by the state election commission in 696 booths across 19 districts of Bengal following reports of lethal violence and booth-capturing on July 8, was held on Monday, with 69.85 percent of eligible voters casting ballots by 5 p.m.
4.On Monday, it was reported that four more people had died as a result of political violence, bringing the total to 42 since June 8, when the three-tier local body elections were announced. Allegations of vote tampering marred the panchayat elections, compelling the SEC, led by Rajiva Sinha, to order a re-vote in afflicted polling stations in all Bengal districts except for three.
5. On Tuesday, the BJP criticized the Trinamool Congress government for “state-sponsored” violence, labeling chief minister Mamata Banerjee “ruthless” and alleging that at least 45 people have been killed in the clashes. The BJP announced in a press release that it has appointed a four-member fact-finding committee to visit the areas of West Bengal affected by violence. MP and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and MP Dr. Satyapal Singh are panel members.
6.The chief minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, announced on Tuesday that 133 people from West Bengal have sought refuge in the state due to the panchayat election violence in their native country. The chief minister reassured the populace that they would receive “any humanitarian aid during times of crisis” after stating that a relief camp had been established for them.
7.On July 8, at least 19 people were killed and dozens were injured amid pervasive allegations of booth capturing, rigging, ballot box looting, heckling of polling officials, gunfire, and bomb attacks. The number of people who perished exclusively on election day is 17, seven more than on election day in 2018 when 12 people were killed.
8.Monday’s re-voting began at 7 a.m. amid strict security, with at least four members of the central forces and state police stationed in each voting booth. Those in voting booth lines at 5 p.m. were permitted to vote, with election officials working overtime to ensure a seamless process.
9.Tuesday morning, the governor of West Bengal, CV Ananda Bose, visited the South 24 Parganas district, which includes Bhangar and Canning, to assess the situation. Governor CV Ananda Bose met with Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday and briefed him on the disturbances that occurred in West Bengal two days prior.
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10.In the 2018 panchayat elections, the TMC won 34% of unopposed seats. This year, the governing party has also won several uncontested seats. The opposition claimed the cadre of the ruling TMC prevented a number of candidates from submitting nominations.
