Panchayat elections were held in the Indian state of West Bengal in July 2023. It was held by the West Bengal State Election Commission. The results were announced on 11 July 2023.
Schedule The election schedule was announced by the State Election Commission of West Bengal on 8 June 2023. Poll Event Schedule Notification Date 9 June 2023 Last Date for filing nomination 15 June 2023 Last Date for Withdrawal of nomination 20 June 2023 Date of Poll 8 July 2023 Date of Counting of Votes 11 July 2023
Parties and alliances Party Symbol AllianceTrinamool CongressAITC Bharatiya Janata PartyBJP Communist Party of India (Marxist)CPI(M) Sanjukta Morcha Indian National CongressINC All India Forward BlocAIFB Revolutionary Socialist PartyRSP Communist Party of IndiaCPI Indian Secular FrontISF Nationalist Congress PartyNCP Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) LiberationCPI(ML)L Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist)SUCI(C)
Turnout 80.71 percent of the total voters exercised their franchise in the three-tier panchayat elections, according to the West Bengal State Election Commission. The re-poll in 600 booths where voting had to be suspended due to violence is scheduled to be held on 10 July 2023.
Violence
Between 8 June and 16 July 2023 a total of 55 people died due to panchayat poll violence in the state.
On 8 July 2023, 12 persons died due to election-day violence. On 9 July 2023, six more deaths were reported, increasing the death toll to 18 on the election day. The dead included 10 Trinamool Congress supporters, four from the Indian National Congress, two from the Bharatiya Janata Party and two from the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
On 11 July 2023, result day late night in Bhangar, South 24 parganas there were gunshots and huge bombings killing 3.
"Murder of democracy in West Bengal under the TMC govt. Over 60 dead & 100s injured in the local body elections. Strongly condemn. Strengthen popular resistance to save democracy in Bengal & in India," said Sitaram Yechury, National Secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist), condemning the alleged rigging in elections by the ruling party.
Results Partywise
+Political partiesPopular votes% of votesGram PanchayatPanchayat SamitiZilla ParishadTrinamool Congress20,942,38051.14%35,6066,560877Bharatiya Janata Party9,467,54022.92%9,9901,04431Sanjukta Morcha9,565,35923.02%6,82245917Others1,081,6732.84%2,9723011
Zilla Parishad wise Corporation Election Data Published by State Election Commission of West Bengal No.Zilla ParishadTotal Seatscolspan="3" AITCBJPSanjukta MorchaOthersCPI(M)INCISF1Cooch Behar34322002Alipurduar18180003Jalpaiguri24240004Uttar Dinajpur2623003005Dakshin Dinajpur21210006Malda4334405007Murshidabad7871025008Nadia52466009North 24 Parganas666600010South 24 Parganas85840001011Howrah424200012Hooghly535120013Purba Bardhaman666600014Paschim Bardhaman181800015Birbhum52510010016Purba Medinipur7056140017Paschim Medinipur606000018Jhargram191900019Purulia454220120Bankura5655100Total9288793121411
Analysis The Trinamool Congress won a landslide victory in the panchayat election, winning 100 per cent of Zilla Parishads, 92 per cent Panchayat Samitis and 80 per cent Gram Panchayats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party secured a second position in these polls and performed well in North Bengal.
The Sanjukta Morcha alliance came third in these local bodies elections. The ISF especially performed well in the areas where it contested, winning almost 50% of the seats contested. The Left Front and INC also performed well in the Muslim-dominated Malda division. Most notably Left Front pushed Bharatiya Janata Party to third spot in the Burdwan division after a long time since 2016.
Notes
References