LIVE | Bengal Panchayat Polls: 13 Killed In Massive Poll Violence

West Bengal Panchayat Election 2023 Voting Live Updates: Voting is underway for the rural polls in West Bengal amid election related violence in which nine people died. Polling has been halted at several attacks on booths and absence of central forces. Polling will continue till 5 pm.

Kolkata: Amidst ongoing voting for the three-tier panchayat elections in West Bengal, 13 people have lost their lives so far in election-related violence. Officials have reported that among the deceased, six were members of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Additionally, one worker each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], Congress, and Indian Secular Front (ISF) have also lost their lives. Furthermore, there is another unidentified individual whose political affiliation remains unknown. In English Bazar area of Malda district, there are reports of stone-pelting and bomb attacks at booth numbers 25 and 26. Police personnel have been deployed at the scene.

According to officials, several others have been injured in violent clashes. Moreover, ballot boxes have been destroyed in various parts of the state. The polling process began at 7 am in 73,887 seats in rural areas of the state. Approximately 5.67 crore people will decide the fate of around 2.06 lakh candidates through their votes. Officials have reported a voter turnout of 36.66 percent as of 1 pm.

Stay with Zee News English for the live updates on West Bengal Panchayat Elections 2023

09 July 2023

00:07 IST

West Bengal Governor Dr C V Ananda Bose visited the residence of a person who was injured in a bomb attack in North 24 Parganas' Barasat-I subdivision.

00:04 IST

Bengal Guv condemns violence in rural polls

West Bengal Governor Dr C V Ananda Bose on Saturday condemned the incidents of violence across the state during the panchayat polls and described the situation as "very, very disturbing".

Bose, who visited different places in North and South 24 Parganas districts during the day, said that 'Peace Home' at the Raj Bhavan to address complaints of the common people would continue to function.

17:37 IST

West Bengal BJP President Dr Sukanta Majumdar writes to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting to restore democracy in the state after it witnessed violence during the Panchayat poll.

17:36 IST

West Bengal: "One person is suspected to be dead and yet to be declared by the doctors. The bomb hit the victim's head...," says Dibakar Das, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) on the alleged blast at Phul Malancha bolling both in South 24 Parganas

West Bengal: "One person is suspected to be dead and yet to be declared by the doctors. The bomb hit the victim's head...," says Dibakar Das, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) on the alleged blast at Phul Malancha bolling both in South 24 Parganas pic.twitter.com/2neRRD5U9g

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2023

17:36 IST

WATCH | West Bengal: "One person is suspected to be dead and yet to be declared by the doctors. The bomb hit the victim's head...," says Dibakar Das, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) on the alleged blast at Phul Malancha bolling both in South 24 Parganas (Visuals from Phul Malancha bolling both in South 24 Parganas)

#WATCH | West Bengal: "One person is suspected to be dead and yet to be declared by the doctors. The bomb hit the victim's head...," says Dibakar Das, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) on the alleged blast at Phul Malancha bolling both in South 24 Parganas

(Visuals from Phul… pic.twitter.com/gs61pVDAm0

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2023

15:24 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: 'Not An Election But Death', Says BJP's Adhikari

Reacting to the incidents of violence being reported from various parts of West Bengal, state Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday claimed that the Central forces have not been deployed and alleged that the violence is the result of state police's "collusion" with TMC goons. "This is not an election, this is death. There is a fire of violence across the state. Central forces have not been deployed. CCTVs are not operating. This is not voting but loot...This is the collusion of TMC goons and Police and that is why so murders are happening," Adhikari said.

14:59 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections:11 Killed In Poll-Related Violence

 11 people killed jave been murdered so far as rural West Bengal votes in panchayat elections.

14:08 IST

Bengal Assembly Elections Live Updates: Miscreants Stole Ballot Boxes

Miscreants on Saturday stole ballot boxes in Malda during the panchayat elections in West Bengal, news agency PTI quoted the CPI(M) candidate as saying.

13:57 IST

Bengal Panchayat Polls Live Updates: Several Polling Booth Without Security Cover

Amid widespread violence as voting for the three-tier panchayat elections in West Bengal continued on Saturday, several polling booths are without security cover. The maximum number of booths where the polling process is on without the presence of central armed forces personnel includes in Howrah, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, and the tribal-dominated pockets in Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore districts.

13:47 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: TMC Behind Killings

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday said that TMC hooligans are behind the bomb explossions and killings during the panchayat elections in West Bengal.

13:46 IST

Bengal Assembly Elections Live Updates: Political Parties Condemn Poll Related Deaths 

Cutting across ideological lines, all parties in West Bengal on Saturday condemned the killing of nine people in various parts of the state as voting for the panchayat elections is underway. The opposition BJP and CPI(M) alleged that the State Election Commission (SEC) did not deploy the central forces as per the orders of the Calcutta High Court. The ruling TMC, which lost five of its supporters to poll violence, questioned the absence of central forces that have been brought in for the elections.

12:43 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live Updates: 9 Killed In Poll Violence

Nine people were killed in election-related violence in West Bengal since midnight as voting was underway on Saturday for the three-tier panchayat polls in the state, officials said. Among those killed were five TMC members, and one worker each of the BJP, CPI(M) and Congress, and the supporter of an Independent candidate.

12:37 IST

Live Updates: West Bengal Panchayat Elections: 2 Kids Injured In Bomb Blast

Two kids have sustained injury in a bomb blast on Saturday in the South 24 Parganas during the voting for Panchayat polls, news agency PTI reported.

12:29 IST

LIVE | West Bengal Panchayat Election: Suvendu Adhikari Casts His Vote

West Bengal LoP and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari cast his vote for the panchayat election at a polling booth in Nandigarm.

12:04 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live : Booth Attacked In Jaipaiguri, Cooch Behar

Voting has been discontinued in Jalpaiguri as booth has been attacked, while in Cooch Behar ballot boxes have been set ablaze during Panchayat polls.

11:58 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: TMC, Congress Workers Clash Again

Clash between TMC and Congress workers over jumping of queues by some voters at Booth No. 23 in Kolabedia area of Domkal.

11:22 IST

Bengal Panchayat Election Live: 'Election Must Be Through Votes And Not Bullets', Says Guv Bose

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose says, “Since the morning, I have been visiting different places…People approached me, halted my convoy on the road. They shared with me the killings happening near them, complained about the thugs preventing them from reaching the voting booths…This should alarm all of us. This is the most sacred day for democracy…Election must be through votes and not bullets...”

11:07 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Election Live: Voting Halted In 24 Parganas 

Officials at a polling booth in North 24 Parganas halted the voting as there is no paramilitary deployed.

10:56 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Polls Live: Polling Booth Vandalised In Barasat

TMC workers allegedly vandalised the polling booth and stopped the locals from voting at Barasat’s Jhikra FP School polling booth. The miscreants also reportedly snatched ballot boxes.

10:20 IST

Bengal Panchayat Election Live Updates: BJP Candidate's Polling Agent Killed

Madhav Vishwas, who was working as a polling agent for a BJP candidate, died in an assault by miscreants, at a polling booth in Falimari gram panchayat of Cooch Behar. The candidate is in hospital with injuries, voting stopped at the booth. The candidate Maya Barman while talking to news agency ANI said, “TMC goons threw a bomb at my agent and killed him. They also hit me.”

09:55 IST

Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: Booth Worker Killed In North 24 Parganas

The booth agent for an independent candidate named Abdullah was murdered in Pirgachha in North 24 Parganas district on Saturday, news agency ANI reported. Villagers have staged a protest accusing the husband of TMC candidate Munna Bibi of being involved in the killing.

09:51 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Election Live Updates: Polling Halted In Raiganj

Polling in Raiganj halted on saturday after the BJP staged a protest demanding deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

09:42 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live Updates: Congress, TMC Workers Clash In Manikchak

Clashes broke out between Congress and TMC workers in Manikchak on the voting day, news agency PTI reported.

VIDEO | West Bengal panchayat elections: Clashes broke out between Congress and TMC workers in Manikchak earlier today. pic.twitter.com/corL53p7az

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 8, 2023

09:39 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Election Live: TMC Cadres 'Vandalise' House Of A BJP Worker

TMC workers allegedly vandalised the house of a BJP worker in Mathabhanga area of Cooch Behar district.

09:23 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Polls Live: BJP Accuses TMC Of Booth Capturing, Bogus Voting

The BJP on Saturday claimed that TMC workers were involved in bogus voting and booth capturing on the voting day of Panchayat Elections. Taking to Twitter several BJP leaders shared purpoted video of the a presiding officer confessing about the bogus voting and booth capturing by the TMC workers.

09:13 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: BJP Accuses TMC Of Looting Ballots In Nurpur

BJP state president Sukanda Majumdar on Satuday alleged that TMC cadres looted ballots at booth No . 44 & 45 of the Kholakhali, Nurpur Panchayat.

08:56 IST

Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: Guv Inspects Polling Booth In North 24 Parganas

Bengal Governor CV Bose, who is on the streets to keep a vigil, inspected a polling booth in North 24 Parganas.

08:43 IST

Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: Voters Demand Central Forces In Raiganj

People of Raiganj insisted on deployment of central forces ahead of polling in the area.

08:19 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: Shots Firead At TMC Contestant's Husband In Nadia

Taking to Twitter, TMC said that their Narayanpur-1 Gram Panchayat candidate Hasina Sultana's husband was attacked with guns and crude bombs along with other candidates. The party accused CPIM cadres for the attacks. It also said that Central Forces have failed to safeguard the TMC workers.

08:08 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: TMC Alleges 3 Party Workers Killed 

The Trinamool Congress on Saturday taking to Twitter said, "Three of our party workers have been murdered in Rejinagar, Tufanganj and Khargram and two have been left wounded from gunshots in Domkol. West Bengal BJP, West Bengal CPI(M) and West Bengal Congress have been clamouring for the deployment of Central Forces. So, where are the Central Forces when they are needed the most?..."

07:53 IST

Bengal Panchayat Elections Live : Voters Boycott Elections In Nandigram

Local voters of Nandigram Block 1 in Purba Medinipur district have decided to boycott the election until booth numbers 67 & 68 in Mahammadpur No. 2 area get Central forces, news agency ANI reported.

A voter, Govind says, “There is no Central force here. TMC captures the booths and votes fraudulently even for the dead. We won’t let voting happen here unless Central forces arrive…”

#WATCH | West Bengal #PanchayatElection | Residents of Nandigram Block 1 of Purba Medinipur district say that they are boycotting the election until Central forces are deployed at booth numbers 67 & 68 in Mahammadpur No. 2 area.

A voter, Govind says, "There is no Central force… pic.twitter.com/biiw5CEdrI

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2023

07:38 IST

Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: Guv Interacts With CPI(M) Candidates

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose stopped by and interacted with a few CPI(M) candidates as they share their various issues with him in Basudebpur of North 24 Praganas

#WATCH | West Bengal Panchayat election | On his way to a polling booth in Basudebpur of North 24 Parganas, Governor CV Ananda Bose stopped by a few CPI(M) candidates as they share their various issues with him.

Governor stops and listens to them. pic.twitter.com/B7o4fwTWKC

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2023

07:30 IST

Bengal Panchayat Elections Live Updates: Booth Vandalised, Ballot Papers Set On Fire

Moments after the polling commenced at 7 am on for the panchayat elections, a booth at Baravita Primary School in Sitai, Coochbehar has been vandalised and ballot papers were set on fire. 

07:15 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live Updates: Polling Begins

Polling for panchayats in West Bengal began at 7 am on Saturday morning under stringent security cover. The counting of votes is scheduled on July 11.

07:04 IST

Bengal Panchayat Elections Live Updates: Guv Bose To Be On Streets

West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Friday said he would be on the streets along with his team during polling. The governor described Saturday's panchayat polls as a "fight between ballots and bullets" and said that he would monitor the situation throughout the state and take corrective measures.

06:50 IST

Bengal Panchayat Elections Live Updates: 19 Killed In Pre-Poll Violence

Till Friday evening, as many as 19 people have died in the pre-poll violence since the announcement of polling date on June 8. People are worried that if so many people have lost their lives even before the election day, what will be the toll on the election day and in the aftermath of result declaration. 

06:45 IST

West Bengal Panchayat Elections Live: Clash Breaks Out In Murshidabad

Ahead of the West Bengal panchayat elections, a clash broke out between Trinamool Congress and Congress workers on Friday night in the Shamsherganj area of Murshidabad district. A house was vandalised as the workers of the two parties came to blows.