West Bengal panchayat election: Violence toll 25, repoll ordered in 573 booths

KOLKATA: At least 10 more people were killed on Tuesday, a day after large-scale violence bloodied the panchayat polls in Bengal, taking the toll over the last two days to 25. The toll - 15 on Monday (taking out the two deaths in South 24-Parganas, which the administration said was because of electrocution) and 10 on Tuesday - reached 25, which had taken place over five days of polling in 2013.

The spectre of violence looms over Wednesday's repolling in 573 booths across the state. The last panchayat poll held in 2013 saw repolling in 21 booths, which means that the number of booths going for a repoll this time, 573, would be more than 27 times that number.

A clause in Calcutta HC's May 10 order, which said the state election commissioner and state government officials would have to pay compensation for the deaths and damage to property, mentioned that this would come into effect if the violence this time exceeded 2013 levels.

There seems to be a correlation between the violence and the number of booths going for repolling. Only six districts account for about 65% (or 362 out of 573 booths) of the booths that will see repolling. These are the districts that have seen the most violent polling.

SEC officials said repolling had been ordered mainly for booths where ballot boxes were snatched and ballot papers were singed or dumped in water. The state poll panel, however, didn't order repolling for a single booth in South 24-Parganas' Bhangar.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh wrote to PM Modi, giving an account of the casualties and incidents of violence, and BJP members wrote to the SEC, demanding repoll at 2400 booths. Congress member Mousam Noor demanded repolling at 1,000 booths in Malda.