Calcutta, July 9: The Bidhannagar (Salt Lake) Welfare Association today alleged that the civic polls held on June 19 in the township were rigged and many residents could not cast their vote.

The association, the central body of Salt Lake residents, alleged that police and polling officials had helped the ruling Left Front. “We have been flooded with complaints from residents of several blocks that they could not cast their vote,” said Sudeb Roy, general secretary of the organisation.

He alleged that several residents had also been roughed up by “outsiders”, who were present in large numbers on election day in every booth.

Basab Aich, the assistant secretary of the organisation, was allegedly harassed at BE block, which comes under ward 7. “Many other genuine voters were harassed,” said Ramen Das, the vice-president of the association.

The association has written to chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and the state election commissioner, urging them to ensure fair elections in the future.