Violence reported from Kolkata during 8th phase polling; PM urges people to vote maintaining covid protocol

Kolkata: As the final of the 8th phase polling began in West Bengal, reports of bombings and stray violent incidents reported from this city, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the people to cast their votes to enrich the festival of democracy while following Covid-19 protocols.

Over 16 per cent vote was reported in the first two hours.

Polling began at 7 am on Thursday for 35 seats in the eighth phase of the assembly elections amid surging second wave of pandemic, which has cast a shadow on the voters mind and confidence in exercising their constitutional rights.

The PM as usual tweeted, the “Last phase of the 2021 West Bengal elections takes place today. In line with the Covid-19 protocols, I call upon people to cast their vote and enrich the festival of democracy.”

The EC said upto 9 am about 16 per cent vote was polled in the first two hours to the 35 seats amid tight security arrangements with maintaining pandemic protocol.

As many as 84,77,728 voters are expected to decide the fate of 283 candidates including 35 women contesting in the six constituencies of Malda, 11 each in Murshidabad and Birbhum and seven segments in Kolkata North.

A report said the BJP candidate Tarekeswar Saha’s car was vandalised at Nanoor, Birbhum, a place famous for its political violence.

In Kolkata, TMC candidate Naina Banerjee alleged that she was prevented from entering a booth at Chowringee’s Metropolitan school in the central part of the city.

Reports of bombing was reported from Entally in the central part of the city where the central force began a root march to instill confidence with the voters. There had been no report of any injury in the bomb attacks.

Reports of bombings were also came from Rabindrfa Sarani under Jorashanko assembly seat in the hub of Kolkata’s wholesale market.

However, there had been no report of any violence inside the booths so far. (UNI)