Six killed in poll-related violence
R R Nair in New Delhi
Fifty-five per cent of voters cast their ballot in the 183 constituencies that went to the polls in nine states and one Union territory today. Six people died in poll-related violence with Bihar setting a record of sorts, registering only four people dead, the lowest number of casualties in an election there.
The voter turnout was highest in West Bengal, 70 per cent, and lowest in Tamil Nadu, 45 per cent. The other states that went to the polls were Andhra Pradesh (60 per cent turnout), Bihar (55 per cent), Karnataka (58 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (50 per cent), Maharashtra (50 per cent), Orissa (55 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (55 per cent) and Pondicherry (62 per cent).
The Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged irregularities in the election in the 'hypersensitive' Sambhal constituency where Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav is fighting D P Yadav. But the Election Commission claimed that, barring an incident of stone-throwing, polling was peaceful in the constituency.
Chief Election Commissioner Dr Manohar Singh Gill said adequate measures were taken to avoid unfairness, with the ballot papers for Bihar being printed in Delhi and taking to the state by a special Air Force aircraft. This, he said, effectively dealt with anti-social elements who printed their own ballot papers and who stuffed them in ballot boxes when they got the opportunity.
In Bihar, three people were killed in Sitamarhi constituency, two dying in police firing and one miscreant being lynched by villagers. In Hajipur, from where Railway Minister Ram Vilas Paswan is contesting, one person died in police firing. Minor skirmishes were also reported from Muzzaffarpur, Siwan, Samastipur, Madhubani, Chapra and Seohar.
In Koraput constituency in Orissa, a member of the Peoples War Group shot a policeman dead.
In Murshidabad, West Bengal, a Communist Party of India Marxist worker was killed in a group clash.
The heads of two villages opened fire on each other; one of them was killed. But Commission officials felt the death was not poll-related.
The voter turnout in Darjeeling was low and ballot boxes were reportedly stolen from a booth in the constituency.
A communal clash, believed to be unrelated to the election, was reported from Malda, the constituency of former Union minister A B A Ghani Khan Choudhary.
In Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Hanamkonda, the Naxal-infested areas of Andhra Pradesh, PWG activists captured booths But "alternate arrangements" were made, Election Commission officials said.
A polling booth was burnt in Peedappally and police had to resort to firing to disperse a mob in Warangal.
Meanwhile, repolling has been ordered in 529 polling booths in 12 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh that had gone to the polls in the first phase itself.
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