Phase 1 | SabrangIndia News Related to Human Rights Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:27:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://sabrangindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Favicon_0.png Phase 1 | SabrangIndia 32 32 Phase I voting for General Elections 2024: Marred by Firing, “booth capturing,” crude bomb “found” in BJP leaders house, complaints of undue pressure https://sabrangindia.in/phase-i-voting-for-general-elections-2024-marred-by-firing-booth-capturing-crude-bomb-found-in-bjp-leaders-house-complaints-of-undue-pressure/ Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:04:51 +0000 https://sabrangindia.in/?p=34822 Concerning reports from Manipur, Tripura, and West Bengal emerged on first polling day, April 19, raising further doubts on the conduct of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its ability to ensure free and fair elections

The post Phase I voting for General Elections 2024: Marred by Firing, “booth capturing,” crude bomb “found” in BJP leaders house, complaints of undue pressure appeared first on SabrangIndia.

]]> On April 19, the first phase of the 18th Lok Sabha Polls got underway with voting in 102 seats of the total 543 taking place across 21 Indian states. The ECI data on voter turnout across various states by 3 pm is varied with the eastern Indian states of Tripura leading with 68.35%, followed by West Bengal and Manipur with high percentages at 66.43 and 62.58 respectively. The state of Assam also witnessed a substantial turnout at 60.70%, while Bihar recorded the lowest at 39.73%. Voter turnout at Maharashtra was at only 44.12% until 3 p.m. today.

Disturbing videos of “booth capturing”, followed by “rigging,” intimidation and malpractices also marred the first polling day. Even news of some violence and gun firing were reported. Until the time of filing of this report the ECI’s social media handle had not responded to any concerns nor has any statement been issued.

Details:

Manipur:

Polling is being held for Manipur’s Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency and 15 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency The remaining 13 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur (in the hills) constituency will vote on April 26.

Incidents of firing by unidentified groups, strong contestations from ordinary voters including women, and even destruction of EVMs and scattering of ballot papers were shared and seen from several some stations in Manipur during the first day of polling in the state. Videos showing armed men running near the booth while the police stood silently also went viral on social media. In the said video, women could be seen pleasing to the police officers as chaos ensued.

Additionally, vandalism inside a polling station has also been reported under the Thongju Assembly seat of Imphal East district. As per a report of India Today NE, polling in the state had to be halted at 5 Thongju and 31 Khongman Zone in Imphal as a result of the uproar caused by several women, who alleged that malpractices and booth capturing was taking place at polling booths. As reported by Imphal East DC, the polling officer then decided to shut the polling booth in view of the accusations being levelled.

There are also unconfirmed reports from the state of people getting injured in these incidents. As per a report of the Times of India, armed men reportedly fired several rounds of gun shots at a polling station in Thamanpokpi, located within the Moirang assembly segment.

Another video showing an Indian National Congress candidate confronting the police and questioning them regarding the commotion that took place outside the polling booth also emerged on social media.

In another bit of news, a state of commotion erupted at the Eroisemba polling booth after Arambai Tenggol allegedly threatened that there could be no Congress agent at the polling booth.

According to the reports of Hindustan Times and The Impress Press, in Uripok and Iroishemba in Imphal West district, armed individuals forced party agents to vacate the premises and threatened the voters to vote for one party. Incensed with the intimidation, the voters at some polling stations damaged the EVMs and other election-related materials.

West Bengal:

Reports of violence also emerged from West Bengal as Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri seats went to polls in Phase 1 of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Early morning Friday, India Today television reported bombs being found in the home of a BJP leader in the state’s Cooch Behar district leading to allegations and counter allegations.

Thereafter, reports came in from the Indian Express, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) have accused each other of hurting their poll agents and workers and disrupting the electoral process in the state.

As per other media reports, BJP accused TMC supporters of stone pelting in Chandamari, which allegedly resulted in a BJP booth president suffering an injury. Furthermore, BJP workers also claimed they were attacked in Natabari and injured cadre were admitted to Tufhangunj hospital in Cooch Behar. On the other hand, BJP workers were accused of attacking TMC workers in the Sitalkuchi and Chotosalbari Gram Panchayat areas. Shockingly, during the first hour of voting, crude bombs were also allegedly recovered from the residence of a BJP booth president in Dinhata -II and a TMC polling camp in Sitai was attacked, as per the IE report.

The ruling TMC has also accused the BJP of orchestrating violence in the state, with the party alleging that Union minister and BJP leader Nisith Pramanik was using his position to store arms in his office. As per a report of the Financial Times, the Mamata-led party has also written a letter to the Election Commission in this regard. Taking to ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), TMC alleged that AITC Block President, Bhetaguri, Anant Barman was assaulted by BJP workers and is currently undergoing treatment in hospital. They also said BJP leaders Ratan Burman, Ajeet Mahanto and Hiren Mahanto hurled crude bombs and attacked AITC booth agents, triggering violence.

Tripura:

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer of Agartala, Tripura over electoral malpractices being employed at West Parliamentary constituency of Tripura. As per the complaint, the aforementioned constituency including the 7-Ramnagar Assembly Constituency in Sadar, saw large scale manipulation. The party alleged that polling agents of INDIA bloc were either driven out or not allowed to enter in many of the polling booths. Furthermore, in Ramnagar Assembly constituency, voters, who were mostly Muslims or opposition supports, were threatened a day before the polls to not approach the polling booths to cast their votes. In addition to this, CPI(M) also raised allegation of book capturing in many areas.

The full complaint can be viewed here:

 

 

Related:

A Cooperative Housing Society “embraces” the Vision of Viksit Bharat 2047

Assam: Arson in Dibrugarh on the eve of polls, first round of polls today

BJP MLA threatens “JCB Bulldozer” if voters don’t vote for BJP

Attempts to create communal tension reported during Ram Navami celebration in parts of Bengal and UP

 

The post Phase I voting for General Elections 2024: Marred by Firing, “booth capturing,” crude bomb “found” in BJP leaders house, complaints of undue pressure appeared first on SabrangIndia.

]]> UP Assembly Elections: Over 57 percent turnout in Phase 1 https://sabrangindia.in/assembly-elections-over-57-percent-turnout-phase-1/ Thu, 10 Feb 2022 13:37:23 +0000 http://localhost/sabrangv4/2022/02/10/assembly-elections-over-57-percent-turnout-phase-1/ Polling held in 58 constituencies, many of which have a huge population of people engaged in agriculture, several of whom participated in the anti-farm law protests

The post UP Assembly Elections: Over 57 percent turnout in Phase 1 appeared first on SabrangIndia.

]]> Phase 1Image Courtesy:indiatoday.in

The first phase of polling for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections took place in 58 out of the total 403 constituencies in the state today. These constituencies fall in eleven districts: Agra, Aligarh, Baghpat, Bulandshahr, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Mathura, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. 623 candidates are vying for the votes of 2.27 crore eligible voters in this phase.

The final voter turnout by the close of polls at 6 P.M was still awaited at the time of publishing the story. But it stood at 57.79 percent at 5 P.M. as per Election Commission.

Ordinarily a large voter turnout indicates a strong anti-incumbency factor. In 2017, when Yogi Adityanath came to power, the voter turnout was 61.04 percent, when the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) government was ousted.

Overall, the voting process was peaceful with only a few incidents of malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) reported from some places. However, those were reportedly replaced. What was significant though was that Western UP constituencies such as Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Baghpat, that went to polls today, are home to a large population from the agrarian community, many of whom participated in the farmers’ movement and held demonstrations at different spots along the Delhi border.

While Shamli recorded a voter turnout of 61.78 percent, Muzaffarnagar’s vote turnout stood at 62.14 percent. Meerut recorded a voter turnout of 58.52 percent, while in Baghpat it was 61.35 percent till 5 P.M.

The farming community here got a huge shock on the day of polling itself when the Allahabad High Court granted bail to Ashish Mishra, who is one of the key accused in the incident when his vehicle allegedly mowed down five people – four protesting farmers and a journalist at Tikonia village in Lakhimpur Kheri district last year. Ashish is the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra and was allegedly traveling in the vehicle that was involved in the killing. Farmers’ organisations had long been demanding strict legal action against him, as well as the dismissal of his father. Though Ashish was taken into custody after many delays and much drama, his father was never removed from his post, even temporarily pending an inquiry.

Additionally, constituencies such as Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr and Gautam Buddh Nagar are sensitive from both the communal and caste point of view, some even have a history of communal violence and caste clashes. The voter turnout in Ghaziabad stood at 54.77 percent, while it was 60.52 percent in Bulandshahr, and 54.77 percent in Gautam Buddh Nagar till 5 P.M.

Meanwhile, communalism raised its ugly head in Jaunpur that will go to polls in the seventh phase of the elections. A college professor allegedly threw out a Muslim girl student from class for wearing a Hijab. It is important to note here that amidst the political agendas of the pro and anti-hijab lobbies, it is actually the Muslim female students who will end up suffering both ways: If they wear a hijab they are denied the opportunity to attend classes, if they refuse to wear it, many conservative families will outright prevent them from going to school/college. The right-wing on both sides of the communal divide remains deeply patriarchal and eventually, it is always the women who end up paying the price.

Related:

Lakhimpur Kheri case: Ashish Mishra gets bail!
UP professor throws Muslim girl out of class for wearing hijab!
UP can become Kashmir, Kerala, Bengal if you do not vote for BJP: CM Adityanath

The post UP Assembly Elections: Over 57 percent turnout in Phase 1 appeared first on SabrangIndia.

]]>