'Most Scared Day Of Democracy': Bengal Guv Says Panchayat Polls Should Be Held Through 'Ballots, Not Bullets'

Amid incidents of violence during Panchayat Polls, Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has said that the day is the 'most sacred day for democracy'

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday termed the day of Panchayat Polls in the state as the 'most sacred day for democracy'. He said that elections should be held through 'ballots and not bullets'. The remarks came on various incidents of violence that have been reported from different districts in the state. A Bharatiya Janata Party candidate claimed she sustained injuries after being attacked by hooligans while her polling agent succumbed to injuries during panchayat polls in Bengal. The polling agent, Madhav Vishwas was killed in the attack on a polling booth in Falimari gram panchayat of Cooch Behar, while the candidate Maya Burman was admitted to a hospital, she claimed, accusing Trinamool Congress for the attacks.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose says, "I have been in the field right from the morning...People requested me, stopped my motorcade on the way. They told me about the murders happening around them, told me about the goons not allowing them to go to the polling booths...It should cause concern to all of us. This is the most sacred day for democracy...Election must be through ballots and not bullets.."

A polling booth at Baravita Primary School in Sitai in West Bengal's Coochbehar was vandalised and ballot papers were set on fire soon after voting began for single-phase panchayat polls in the state. Voting for rural elections in West Bengal began at 7 am today amid heavy security by central forces. Voting is underway on a total of 63,229 gram panchayat seats, 9,730 panchayat samiti seats and 928 zilla parishad seats, as reported by ANI.