Barring a few scattered incidents of violence reported in several districts of West Bengal, the second phase of elections has been largely successful with more than a 70-75 percent voter turnout across the 17 Parliamentary Constituencies, said Debasis Sen, chief electoral officer, West Bengal.
From the seven districts there were 134 candidates who contested in this phase.Some of the most crucial seats,like Nandigram and Singur, which would decide CPI(M)'s fate in this state went for election in this phase.
While Singur, falling under the Hooghly constituency witnessed a more or less peaceful election process. Tension flared up in Nandigram when open firing started between TMC and CPI(M) supporters despite all efforts and security provided by the Election commission.
“All the cases of violence that have been reported in Nandigram have happened outside the poll booths. Police is attending to the situation, we have received written pleas for repoll from CPI(M) from 52 booths in Nandigram. More are expected to come, the circumstances would be scrutinised and then a decision will be taken tomorrow,” Sen said on the sidelines of a press conference.
“Whatever has happened in Nandigram is sad, but the situation could have been worse. But this could have been avoided,” he added. Across 27,178 booths in the seven districts where election was held today, covering a total of 17 seats, voter turnout percentage till 5pm was 70-75 percent. We expect it to increase a little more by night. Many voters are standing still in the line, said Sen. Two sunstroke deaths, one in Khejuri and one in Kathi each and two deaths caused by violence, one each in Murshidabad and Asansol have been reported. Two persons in Asansol and three in Nandigram have been arrested in this regard. There can be further arrests also, Sen pointed out. This apart, three EVMs had been destroyed, two in Howrah and one in Bardhaman and there was poll boycott situation reported in three places, one each in Murshidabad, Birbhum and Bardhaman.
In case of poll boycott there cannot be any re-poll. But decision on whether or not repoll in those places where vote could not be conducted because EVMs were destroyed will be taken tommorow only after everything is scrutinised. The second phase election was a very crucial one, over 2.17 crore electorate were involved in this phase deciding the fate of 134 candidates, including many political heavyweights like Congress veteran Pranab Mukherjee, CPI(M) heavyweight Lakshman Seth and others.
