Over 78% polling in Bengal

The third phase of Bengal Assembly poll recorded 78.3 per cent polling in 75 constituencies in three districts on Wednesday.

The polling percentage might rise as reports from remote areas of South and North 24 Parganas districts are still awaited, the State's Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta told reporters here.

He said polling was 82.6 per cent in South 24 Parganas district, 80 per cent in North 24 Parganas districts, while Kolkata (south) registered 63.5 per cent and Kolkata (north) 61.6 per cent.

Barring some stray incidents, the polling was by and large peaceful, Mr Gupta said.

Kolkata tepid

In Kolkata, streets wore a deserted look as public transport were mostly off the roads and shops and markets remained closed in the metropolis.

Party flags and buntings and the flurry of activity were absent this time in contrast to past elections with queues before polling booths the only indication that polling was in progress.

Central forces were present in strength, while the police did not allow even roadside shops and eateries to open. While almost 80 per cent of buses and taxis requisitioned for election duty, the rest also remained off the roads.

Children, taking advantage of the deserted streets and lack of transport, played cricket on the streets.

2 deaths

Two voters died outside polling booths. “In South 24 Parganas district, a woman died of sunstroke in Kultali while waiting in the queue to vote. Another woman died when she slipped and sustained a head injury after coming out of a polling booth in Canning West,” said the District Magistrate, Mr N.S. Nigam.

The Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and 11 of his Ministers are in the fray in this phase of the polls.

The State's ruling Left Front is facing the stiffest challenge of its 34-year-rule from the determined Trinamool Congress-Congress combine.

In Kasba constituency, a clash broke out between the supporters of the CPI-M and the Trinamool Congress in which four activists were injured and a vehicle was damaged.

“One person was arrested,” said Mr Murli Dhar, additional police superintendent.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar said a presiding officer in a polling station in central Kolkata's Maniktala constituency was replaced after allegations of false voting.

In some booths, there was delay due to the malfunctioning of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). “At least 45 EVMs have been replaced, but so far there are no reports of poll process being disturbed,” Mr Sarkar said.

The Union Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, and the former Indian cricket skipper Sourav Ganguly cast their ballots in the city.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was among the early birds.

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