West Bengal sees over 78% polling in Phase-V

Tribune News Service
Kolkata, April 17

Polling for the fifth phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday passed off more or less peacefully with 78.36 per cent voters casting their vote.

Alarmed by the violence in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district on April 10 during the fourth phase, the Election Commission deployed a huge posse of security personnel to ensure that no untoward incident took place in the fifth phase. TMC supporters in the Kurulgacha area of the Deganga Assembly constituency alleged that central forces opened fire. They claimed that peaceful voting was under way when personnel of central forces landed near a polling booth and fired one round.

Sporadic incidents of violence

• Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas where polling was under way on Saturday, officials said.
• Villagers alleged that central forces opened fire to disburse a mob near a polling booth in Kurulgacha area of Deganga constituency in North 24 Parganas district. The central forces, however, denied the allegations. The CEO office has sought a report from the observer, an official said. PTI

“Nobody was injured in the firing,” a TMC supporter said.

However, Barasat SP submitted a report to the Special Police Observer, saying the allegation of firing by CRPF personnel “was not based on facts”. The BJP alleged that vehicle of Raju Banerjee, state vice-president and candidate from the Kamarhati constituency, was attacked by TMC goons.

Forty-five (45) constituencies in the districts of Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and a segment of Nadia, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Bardhaman went to polls on Saturday. Among the 45 constituencies, Maynaguri reported the highest turnout of voters with 85.65 per cent. Matigara-Naxalbari recorded 81.65 per cent polling, Barasat 77.71 per cent, Bidhannagar 61.10 per cent and Siliguri 74.83 per cent.

The West Bengal Assembly has 294 seats. Polling in 180 constituencies has been completed. In the remaining 112 seats (elections to two seats are likely to be countermanded in the wake of death of RSP candidate from Jangipur Pradip Kumar Nandi and Congress candidate from Samserganj Rejaul Hoque due to Covid-19), polling will take place in three phases on April 22, April 26 and April 29.

District-wise polling

• 85.65% Maynaguri
• 81.65% Matigara-Naxalbari
• 77.71% Barasat
• 61.10% Bidhannagar
• 74.83% Siliguri