WB Polls: Phase 4 Marred by Violence; 75.93% Turnout till 5:30 PM
Catch all the live updates on Phase 4 of the West Bengal Assembly polls here.
As voting concluded for 44 constituencies across five districts in the fourth phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections on Saturday, 10 April, at least four people were shot dead as CISF allegedly opened fire after coming under attack in Sitalkuchi in the Cooch Behar district.
The incident led to a war of words between PM Modi and Mamata Banerjee. While PM Modi blamed Banerjee for the firing, Banerjee said the incident was ‘pre-planned’ by Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to the Election Commission, 75.93 percent voter turnout has been recorded till 5.30 pm.
- The districts of Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, and Hooghly voted on Saturday
- The Election Commission had deployed 789 companies of central forces – the highest force concentration so far – in the fourth phase of elections
- Polling was held for nine Assembly constituencies in Howrah, 11 in South 24 Parganas, five in Alipurduar, nine in Cooch Behar and ten in Hooghly
Polling Concludes for Phase 4 of Bengal Elections
Polling concluded for the fourth phase of the West bengal elections with 44 constituencies casting ballots.
75.93% Voter Turnout Till 5.30 PM
BJP Delegation Meets EC Over Mamata's 'Gherao Forces Remark'
A BJP delegation met the Election Commission over the death of five people in two separate incidents in Sitalkuchi.
“In my opinion, these incidents happened because of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's old statement calling for gherao of Central forces,” BJP MP Jyotirmay Singh Mahato said, as quoted by ANI.
'Pre Planned': Mamata Banerjee Blames Shah for Firing in Cooch Behar
Addressing a rally in Siliguri, West Bengal chief Minister mamata Banerjee blame Home Minister Amit Shah for thr firing in Cooch Behar.
“Home Minister Amit Shah is completely responsible for today's incident and he himself is the conspirator. I don't blame central forces because they work under Home Minister's order,” she said.
“I believe, this incident is pre-planned. I will order an investigation into the matter,” she added
She said that she could not go to Cooch behar today due to Model Code of Conduct as polling is going on there.
66.76% Turnout till 3:40 PM
TMC Writes to EC Over Alleged Firing By Central forces
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrote to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal over "old-blooded murder of four and brutal injury of three innocent people by Central Forces."
West Bengal Elections Phase 4: 52.89 % Voter Turnout till 1:37 PM
'Effort to Intimidate Voters': TMC MP Saugata Roy on Cooch Behar Deaths
TMC MP Saugata Roy on Saturday stated that the open fire from the Central Armed Police Forces is part of a conspiracy and that it is “an effort to intimidate voters”.
“Why did the Central Armed Police Forces fire? Where do they get this audacity of firing on common voters? That is the main question. This is a part of a conspiracy and we do not think that the PM is out of this conspiracy. This is an effort to intimidate voters.” said Saugata Roy, TMC MP.
'There is Conspiracy Going Around': Mamata Banerjee on Cooch Behar Violence
PM Modi on Violence in Cooch Behar
Four Shot Dead in Cooch Behar District: Report
Four people were shot dead as CISF allegedly opened fire after coming under attack in Sitalkuchi in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district, reported PTI quoting police sources.
West Bengal Elections Phase 4: 16.65 % Voter Turnout till 11:05 AM
First-Time Voter Shot Dead in Cooch Behar District: Report
A first-time voter was shot dead by unidentified persons outside a polling booth in Cooch Behar district on Saturday, reported PTI quoting police source.
The youth has been identified as 18-year-old Ananda Barman, reported Hindustan Times, quoting Superintendent of Police of Cooch Behar district, Debasish Dhar.
BJP Leader Locket Chatterjee's Car Attacked by Locals in Hooghly
'Prashant Kishor Did the Work of Putting the Last Nail in the Coffin': Nisith Pramanik
West Bengal Elections Phase 4: 15.85 % Voter Turnout till 9:30 AM
In Photos: Polling underway in Kasba Assembly Constituency
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @CEOWest Bengal)
In Photos: Polling underway in Cooch Behar Constituency
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @CEOWest Bengal)
'Challenge to Remove Atmosphere of Terror': BJP's Babul Supriyo on TMC's Aroop Biswas
WB CM Mamata Banerjee Urges People to Vote in Large Numbers
PM Modi Urges People to Vote in Record Numbers
Prominent Personalities in Phase 4
While Education Minister Partha Chatterjee is contesting from Behala Purba, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Arup Biswas is fighting from Tollygunj in South 24 Parganas, Minister for North Bengal Development Rabindranath Ghosh from Natabari Assembly seat in Cooch Behar and Minister for Agriculture Marketing Arup Roy is contesting from Howrah Madhya.
Babul Supriyo, MP from Asansol and Union Minister for State, is locked in a battle in Tollygunj, while Locket Chatterjee, MP from Hooghly, is contesting from Chinsurah in the Hooghly district. Cooch Behar BJP MP Nisith Pramanik is contesting from the Dinhata seat in the same district.
Highest Force Deployment for This Phase
The Election Commission of India has decided to deploy 789 companies of Central forces – the highest force concentration so far – in the fourth phase of elections in West Bengal.
"Presently, there are around 800 companies of central forces in the state, but the commission has assured to send another 200 companies from Assam where elections have recently concluded. This will take the number of central forces to 1,000 companies, which is the highest deployment in the state in any election so far. This additional 200 companies will be used for the elections in North Bengal as this it will be logistically easier," said a senior commission official in the state.
The rest of the forces after poll deployment will be used for guarding the strong-rooms and containing post-poll violence.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)