Kolkata Municipal Corporation Election Live Updates: Sporadic incidents of violence marred the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections as few people were injured after crude bombs were hurled outside polling centres, even as a voter turnout of 36.78 per cent was recorded till 1 PM on Sunday. Two incidents of hurling of crude bombs were reported in Sealdah and Khanna areas of Kolkata, and police contingents were rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control, a State Election Commission official said.
Around 23,000 Kolkata Police personnel have been deployed across the city, and route marches and area domination exercises conducted in various parts of the metropolis, an officer of the force said. More than 200 police pickets have also been set up at crucial points across the city, he said.
The Trinamool Congress is looking to retain its winning streak in the state in the December 19 election, particularly as the BJP is still reeling from the scale of its Assembly poll defeat, and the defections from its ranks to the TMC since.
For Sunday’s election, the TMC has dropped 39 sitting councillors but retained its heavyweight leaders, including former mayor Firhad Hakim, former deputy mayor Atin Ghosh, MLAs Debashis Kumar, Debabrata Mazumdar, Ratna Chatterjee and Paresh Pal, and MP Mala Roy.
The voter turnout was recorded at 38% as of 1 pm.
The voter turnout was recorded at 18.51 percent until 11 am.
In ward number 30, the TMC alleged that crude bombs were hurled beside the suburban railway tracks in Beliaghata, North Kolkata.
A scuffle between TMC candidate Shakti Singh and Congress candidate Santosh Pathak has been reported from Ward number 45, reported News18. Both of them alleged the other of organising false votes. Police are trying to bring the situation under control.
The TMC first won the KMC elections in 2010, even before it had come to power in the state in 2011, dislodging the Left Front. It won 95 of the 141 wards. In 2015, the TMC retained the civic body, winning 124 of the 144 wards (the KMC strength was increased by then)
The ruling Trinamool Congress is fighting to retain the civic board for the third consecutive term, while the BJP will contest CPI(M) to secure the second position. The TMC had swept all the 16 assembly segments in the metropolis in this year’s assembly elections. The counting of votes will take place on December 21.
