Votes will be counted today, and the results announced, on the Bhabanipur, Samserganj and Jangipur bypolls which took place on September 30. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had contested to retain her post from Bhabanipur, where a moderate turnout was recorded. After Banerjee's loss in Nandigram, state minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, who won the assembly election from Bhabanipur, had vacated the seat, paving the way for the byelection so that Banerjee could fight it. Polling in the high-profile constituency in south Kolkata had passed off peacefully. Around 53.32 per cent turnout was recorded in the seat till 5pm.
A high voting rate at 78.60 per cent and 76.12 per cent was recorded in Murshidabad's Samserganj and Jangipur seats respectively, where polls had to be countermanded during the April-May assembly elections following the death of two candidates.
A total of 6,97,164 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the three constituencies.
Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress supremo, is pitted against BJP's Priyanka Tibrewal and CPI(M)'s Srijib Biswas in Bhabanipur. Banerjee, a voter of the constituency, cast her vote at Mitra Institution school in the area. Bhabanipur is a highly mixed, urban constituency, with a lot of Hindi-speaking populace.
On the day of the polling, 22 sector mobile, nine HRFS (Heavy Radio Flying Squad) teams, 13 quick response teams (QRTs), nine teams each of the static surveillance team, flying squad, and an equal number of striking forces from surrounding police stations were deployed. Besides, three sub-division striking forces were also deployed.
One additional police commissioner along with four joint police commissioners, 14 deputy commissioners and an equal number of assistant commissioners have been deployed for the Bhabanipur by-election.
Sporadic incidents of scuffles between the BJP and TMC supporters were reported from some areas of the constituency. A minor scuffle between supporters of the TMC and BJP was reported outside a booth in Bhabanipur over allegations that the ruling party was bringing fake voters inside the polling centre. Security forces brought the situation under control. The TMC also registered a complaint with the EC, accusing Tibrewal of moving with an entourage of 20 cars and intimidating voters, a charge denied by her. The BJP later alleged that its polling agents were not allowed entry inside several booths.