West Bengal: By poll elections in Bhabinapur, Jagnipur, and Samserganj Assembly Constituency commenced today at 7 am. The voting would close by 6 pm today, and the results would be announced on October 3rd.
These polls stand to be a crucial card for West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee who is set to enter the state Assembly before the end of her 6-month tenure of Chief Ministership without being an MLA. Interacting with the media crew, BJP candidate for Bhabinapur By-poll Priyanka Tibrewal hoped for fair elections. She visited the poll booths to take stock of the security deployments in all the wards. In an untoward incident at a polling booth in ward number 72, a TMC candidate was seen trying to influence candidates aspiring to vote. EC has demanded a report in the matter from the registration office of Samsergunj, where the complaint was lodged.
A temporary booth was set up in ward number 71 Bhabinapur for ladies and senior citizens. In the meanwhile, a 90-year-old lady cast her vote at the Mitra Institution polling station in Bhabinapur.
While the polls are underway in several districts, the officials have been stringently scrutinizing the event and taking steps to abide by the COVID norms.
Ahead of the by-polls, Section 144 was imposed in the Bhabinapur constituency from 6:30 pm on Tuesday until September 30th. This move stems from the previous elections that witnessed huge post-poll violence.