West Bengal registers 78% in 3rd phase polling and Assam 82% in 3rd and final phase
New Delhi, April 06
Around 78 per cent voter turnout has been recorded in West Bengal while Assam recorded 82 per cent in the third phase of Assembly elections for which voting took place today.
In West Bengal, barring a few stray incidents, polling for the third phase was by and large peaceful in 31 assembly constituencies across three districts, Hooghly, Howrah and South 24 Parganas. The third phase of assembly elections witnessed quite a few incidents throughout the day.
In Uluberia Uttar constituency, a sector officer, two assistant sector officers and a sector police officer have been suspended by the ECI. Three home guards were also removed from duty. The sector officer allegedly took 3 EVMs and 4 VVPATs to a Trinamool Congress leader’s house. Three candidates of the ruling party were allegedly heckled at Khanakul, Arambagh and Uluberia and a total of 11 persons were arrested in the incidents. A person was detained at Bishnupur for intimidating a voter. A BJP candidate at Uluberia Uttar was also allegedly heckled this afternoon.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made especially in South 24 Parganas, considered to be the stronghold of the ruling party. In Canning, the TMC candidate sat on dharna on the road alleging violence by the ISF supporters. Section 144 had been imposed in all 16 constituencies and no major untoward incident has been reported from the district.
According to EC data, the voter turnout was 82.29 per cent at 7.11 pm. The polling was scheduled to end at 7 pm. The third phase of election in the tea-garden state was held in 40 constituencies of 12 districts in the state.
The fate of 337 candidates, including state minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Hemanta Biswa Sarma in the Jalukbari constituency, was to be decided in this phase of polling.
Leaders of the BJP-led alliance and that led by Congress have expressed confidence about their victory in the polls.
The first phase, March 27, witnessed a voter turnout of nearly 77 per cent, while a voter turnout of nearly 74.76 per cent was recorded in the second phase polling held on April 1. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.