Assembly polls: Assam reports 70.3% turnout, West Bengal 80.43%

Assam reported a voter turnout of 73.03 per cent till 5 pm in the second round of Assembly elections for 39 seats while Bengal reported a voter turnout of 80.43 per cent till 5 pm for 30 Assembly seats which went to the polls on Thursday, the Election Commission said here.

This was the second of the three rounds of polling in Assam, while it was the second of the eight rounds of polling that will take place in West Bengal. All the seats in these two states will be counted along with Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry on May 2.

More than 73 lakh electorate across 10,592 polling stations were registered to exercise their franchise in the second phase of Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal. Voting was held in 30 Assembly constituencies of West Bengal, with nearly 76 lakh electorate registered across 10,620 polling stations. The number of polling stations has been increased since the number of voters per polling station has been reduced from 1,500 to 1,000 because of social distancing norms due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During this phase, 10,620 ballot units (BUs), 10620 control units(CUs) and 10,620 VVPATs were used in West Bengal and 10,819 ballot units (BUs), 10592 control units (CUs) and 10,592 VVPATs were used in Assam, the Commission said.

To ensure inclusive and accessible elections, ECI has extended the option of postal ballot facility to PwDs, senior citizens above the age of 80 years, Covid-19 suspect or affected persons and persons employed in essential services.

To date ₹112.54 crore has been seized in Assam (as against a total seizure of ₹16.58 crore during the last Assembly elections), while a total of ₹253.55 crore has been seized in West Bengal up from ₹44.33 crore previously, the Commission said.