78.05% Polling Recorded In Fourth Phase

Kolkata: Over 78 percent of the 1.08 crore voters on Monday exercised their right to franchise across 49 constituencies bordering Kolkata in the fourth phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

Polling took place in the two districts of Howrah (16 seats) and North 24 Parganas (33 constituencies). Balloting began at 7 AM and ended at 6 PM.

“A total of 78.05 percent turnout was recorded till 5 PM, 79.16 percent in North 24 Parganas and 75.46 percent in Howrah,” chief electoral officer Sunil Kumar Gupta told media persons here. Gupta said the poll panel received 4,173 complaints till 6 PM, of which 4,023 were disposed of. “In this phase, 11 specific cases have been registered,” said Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma.

Altogether, 229 people were arrested — 22 in specific cases and 207 under preventive sections.

Over 1.08 crore voters across 12,481 polling stations, including 27 auxiliary booths, were eligible to decide the fate of 345 candidates, including 40 women.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Monday removed three polling officers in North 24 Parganas district during the fourth phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections. Two presiding officers, one from Baranagar and the other from Minakha constituency, were replaced for “not being impartial”, state chief electoral officer Sunil Kumar Gupta said. One polling officer from Baranagar constituency was removed for “wrong declaration”.

So far, elections have already been held in 216 of the 294 constituencies in the state. While 53 constituencies go to polls on April 30 in Phase five, the remaining 25 will vote on May 5 in phase six.