Despite Bengal violence, 79.22 per cent turn out to vote

Violence marred the third phase of Assembly elections in Bengal, which was held in 62 constituencies in four districts on Thursday. One CPI(M) worker was killed and several others were injured in multiple incidents of violence. The average voter turnout till 5 pm in Murshidabad, Nadia and Burdwan districts and Kolkata North was 79.22 per cent. However, the final turnout will increase as voting continued till 6 pm.

Despite the sweltering heat and humidity, about 1.37 crore voters exercised their franchise in 16,461 polling stations across the four districts. The Election Commission received about 2,777 complaints, 1,776 more than polling in the second phase.

“Today, there was no poll boycott by people and there was no vitiation of the poll process. During polling hours, we replaced seven presiding officers — five in Burdwan and two in Murshidabad. We have received about 2,777 complaints related to booth capturing, false voting, intimidation of voters and the Election Commission has disposed 2,322 of such complaints,” West Bengal chief electoral officer Sunil Gupta said. In the first and second phases, the EC had received about 2,415 and 1,001 complaints, respectively. The voter turnout in Murshidabad, Nadia and Burdwan districts till 5 pm was 79.29, 81.62 and 78.26 per cent, respectively.

Bengal ADG (law and order) Anuj Sharma said that there were eight specific cases of violence during poll hours. “One person named Tohidul Islam was killed 500 metres away from a polling station in Murshidabad’s Domkol. The person was a CPI(M) supporter and, based on a complaint lodged by his family, an FIR has been filed against 20 persons. Meanwhile, about 10 persons were injured in several incidents of violence across the districts and seven persons have been arrested in specific cases,” he said. On Thursday, 162 preventive arrests were made by the Bengal police in the districts while 63 preventive arrests, including three women, were made in Kolkata by the city police. Among the eight specific incidents of violence, four were reported from Nadia, three from Burdwan and one from Murshidabad.

During poll hours, 52 EVMs were replaced while 42 EVMs were replaced during mock polls. In Burdwan’s Khandakosh area, a booth-level officer named Rabindranath Ghosh died due to heat stroke. So far, polls have been held in 167 of the total 294 constituencies in Bengal in first three phases. Polling for the remaining phases will be held on April 25, 30 and May 5.