West Bengal death toll increases as at least 2 more die in local election-related incidents News
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West Bengal death toll increases as at least 2 more die in local election-related incidents

The death toll of West Bengal’s electoral violence increased Saturday when two more people were reported killed over issues related to the state’s recent village council elections. Since the West Bengal State Election Commission released its schedule for the elections, which were held on July 8, West Bengal has seen extensive violence. Even while the votes were being counted, violent crimes left several individuals dead. After weeks of sporadic violence all across West Bengal, the death toll could be as high as 52.

The violence has seen seven Trinamool Congress supporters killed, along with two members each of the Bhartiya Janta Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one member of the Indian National Congress party.

Last week, the Calcutta High Court expressed displeasure over the lawlessness in West Bengal and sought a response from the State Election Commission on the alleged violence during and after the elections. The court made the State Election Commission and all of the candidates who have been declared elected aware that “their declaration of having been elected is subject to further orders to be passed by this Court in these writ petitions as well as in the connected matters.”

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