Bengal by-polls see 19.47% early turnout amid arrests and polling disputes

• Nandigram recorded 20.89 per cent turnout and Rejinagar 18.05% by 9 am, averaging 19.47 per cent across the two seats

• Police arrested AJUP founder Humayun Kabir in Rejinagar, prompting the chief electoral officer to seek a report

• Congress and CPI(M) reported obstruction of polling agents; the BJP rejected Congress’s charges in Nandigram

The assembly bypolls in West Bengal’s Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies recorded an average turnout of 19.47 per cent by 9 am on Tuesday, with isolated confrontations and arrests interrupting an otherwise largely peaceful start to voting.

Nandigram, in East Midnapore district, registered a turnout of 20.89 per cent in the first two hours. Rejinagar, in Murshidabad district, recorded 18.05 per cent.

In Rejinagar, police arrested Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder and legislator Humayun Kabir for allegedly threatening police personnel and grabbing an on-duty officer’s collar. West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer sought a report from the Murshidabad district administration on the incident.

A district police officer said Kabir’s son, Golam Nabi Azad, was contesting the bypoll, but Kabir himself was neither a candidate nor his son’s polling agent. The officer said Kabir had violated rules by moving between booths and making provocative statements.

The CPI(M) separately complained that its polling agents had been denied entry to several booths in Rejinagar’s Dadpur area. The party identified booths 112, 113, 114 and 122 as locations where its agents were prevented from taking their places.

In Nandigram, Congress candidate Milan Pradhan said BJP supporters had forcibly driven his polling agents out of booths. He also accused central security personnel of failing to intervene. Congress submitted a complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office.

BJP candidate Hasirani Rath denied the charges, saying opposition parties were making false claims because their political position in Nandigram had weakened.

Police also arrested Sheikh Asraful Tulla, the Congress president of Nandigram Block-1. Congress disputed the grounds for his detention during voting and said it was bringing the matter to the attention of the authorities.

With IANS inputs