Mob throws EVM, VVPAT in Bengal's South 24 Parganas amid polling, EC responds
The West Bengal Election Commission soon responded to the incident, stating that an FIR had been lodged and necessary action had been initiated
Amid polling in the final phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, a mob reportedly threw EVM and VVPAT machines into a pond at booth numbers 40 and 41 in Kultai, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
The mob got agitated on being allegedly threatened by Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters. The mob then threw the EVM into a nearby pond.
The West Bengal Election Commission soon responded to the incident, stating that an FIR had been lodged and necessary action had been initiated. The poll body further said that the voting process is, running uninterrupted.
"Today morning at 6.40 am Reserve EVMs & papers of Sector Officer near Benimadhavpur FP school, at 129-Kultali AC of 19-Jaynagar (SC) PC has been looted by local mob and 1 CU, 1 BU , 2VVPAT machines have been thrown inside a pond. Sector Police was a little behind. FIR has been lodged by Sector Officer and necessary action has been initiated. The poll process in all six booths under the Sector is running uninterrupted. Fresh EVM and papers have been provided to the Sector Officer," it said in a post on X.
For BJP, final phase of Bengal Lok Sabha polls is an acid test
Voting is currently underway at nine Lok Sabha constituencies in the state along with 48 other seats across seven states and Union Territory of Chandigarh.
Till 9 am, the nationwide polling percentage was 11.31 percent, according to the Election Commission's (EC) voter-turnout app. West Bengal reported a turnout of 12.63 per cent till 9 am.
A voter turnout of nearly 12.15 per cent was recorded in Jharkhand till 9 am. Uttar Pradesh logged a polling percentage of 12.94, Bihar 10.58 and Himachal Pradesh 14.35. Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 9.64 per cent in the first two hours of polling while Chandigarh registered a voting percentage of 11.64. Odisha recorded around 7.69 per cent voting till 9 am.
Elections in Bengal are all but bipolar contests
More than 10.06 crore citizens, including nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women and 3,574 third-gender electors, are eligible to vote in this phase.
Some high-profile names in the fray in this phase include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is eyeing a third term from Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, former union minister and BJP stalwart Ravi Shankar Prasad (Patna Sahib), Actress Kangana Ranaut (Mandi), Congress' Manish Tewari (Chandigarh), TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee (Diamond Harbour), Samajwadi party leader Afzal Ansari (Ghazipur) and Bhojpuri star Pawan Singh (Karakat).
(With inputs from agencies)
