The Kontai Co-operative Bank (CCB) elections in West Bengal’s East Medinipur district were conducted peacefully on Sunday under the supervision of the Central Paramilitary Forces on the directions of the Supreme Court. Kontai falls under the Nandigram assembly constituency of opposition leader and BJP MLA Subhendu Adhikari.
The Supreme Court last week ordered the election to be monitored by central forces instead of the state police after one of the 430 candidates for 108 posts approached the Supreme Court claiming deliberate selection by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). A few villages away from the city to rig elections.
The Cooperative Election Commission had changed five polling stations due to ongoing examinations in three schools of Kontai Municipality. Subsequently, Shankar Bera, the former chairman of Erga Municipality, a civic body within Kontai, filed a petition in the Supreme Court, asking for further changes in polling station locations. However, the Supreme Court ordered the deployment of paramilitary forces at these polling stations.
Elections started at 9 am under tight security. Raghunath Ayurveda School and Hospital, which has the highest number of voters, was seen guarding booths by central forces known as sensitive booths.
CPIM polling camp office near Raghunath Ayurveda College and Hospital has been allegedly vandalised, polling booth for Kontai Co-operative Bank election, Central Force deployed in East Midnapore on orders of Supreme Court. Express Pic Parth Paul
Shishir Adhikari, a former BJP MP, told The Indian Express after voting, “Due to the hooliganism committed by the ruling party in the last municipal, assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the people of this area could not vote. I am grateful to the Supreme Court and the judiciary for ensuring that central forces are deployed to restore confidence in the electorate. The wrongdoers will be held accountable.”
A voter Shyamal Das said, ‘It is a shame to have to send a team of central forces for the election of cooperative banks. This situation exists only in Bengal. Next, we may also see paramilitary forces deployed for school elections. “
Central security personnel were deployed at the polling station at Namal Kaliprasad School, four kilometers from the main town of Kontai. Strict checks were enforced, and people were not allowed to enter without presenting their identity cards to the central forces.
Central Force deployed at Raghunath Ayurveda College and Hospital, Kontai Co-operative Bank Election Polling Station, East Midnapore on orders of Supreme Court. Express Pic Parth Paul
70-year-old voter Mukteshwar Mistiri said, “Times are changing, so we have to adapt to this change. I have not seen the participation of paramilitary forces in the co-operative bank elections, but keeping in mind the current situation in the state, this decision has been taken to ensure peaceful polling.”
Chandramoni Brahma Balika Vidyalaya saw both paramilitary and local police in charge of the entire process. Rajendranath Das, another voter and shareholder, said, ‘Earlier, bank employees used to vote, but for the first time, I have seen the Central Power conduct an election similar to the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. I am happy that the elections are finally about to take place as many official processes such as loan sanctioning and distribution of dividends have been put on hold.”
In addition to paramilitary forces, 300 CCTV cameras monitored 14 polling stations. The administration has also banned gatherings within 200 meters of each polling station. For the security of each booth, 60 to 80 policemen were deployed in various areas considered sensitive.
Apart from the five booths manned by the Central Force, The Indian Express also visited the Morishda Vijaya Krishna Jagrati Banipeeth High School, where no Central Forces were present. Voters expressed their happiness over the completion of the election and said that the process was relatively peaceful.
RAF State Force at Raghunath Ayurveda College and Hospital Gate, Contai Co-operative Bank Election Polling Station, Central Force on Supreme Court orders, deployed at East Midnapore. Express Pic Parth Paul
Voter Samaresh Das was happy with the election process. “Shareholders will exercise their voting rights. There is no political bias in this poll; I feel that.”
‘BJP’s excuse for central army deployment’
TMC MLA Akhil Giri said, “Voters are very happy for two reasons: first, voting is taking place after a long time, and second because they don’t have to travel far; the centers are near where they live.”
Giri said the deployment of central forces was a pretext used by the BJP. “The BJP knew from the beginning that they would lose, so they requested to deploy troops at five locations.”
TMC and BJP are vying to control the 15-member CCB board of directors. Subendu Adhikari was the chairman of the CCB until his removal in August 2021. In June 2021, the West Bengal government launched an inquiry into the operations of several co-operative banks where officers held positions on the management boards. The TMC sees the CCB election win as another blow to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s former trusted official who has turned adversary.
On July 16, 2021, the official got some relief when the Calcutta High Court ruled that while the state could inspect the CCB’s accounts, no special audit could take place without the court’s permission.
Established in 1947, CCB has steadily grown to become the largest urban cooperative bank in Eastern India. Headquartered at Kontai, the bank operates a strong network of 16 branches in East Medinipur and West Medinipur districts and beyond.
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