WB polls: 70.82 % turnout till 3 PM

Polling occurred amid reports of widespread violence and alleged booth rigging.

This phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal is marred on Sunday by alleged reports of stray violence, intimidation and false voting.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded countermanding of polling in all the 11 constituencies of Birbhum district.

According to the Election Commission, 55.28 percent of the 1.22 crore voters of 56 constituencies spread over seven districts exercised their franchise till 1 PM.

Birbhum district recorded the highest voters turnout with 62.49 percent among all the seven districts where voting is being held.

Jalpaiguri registered 59.98 percent voters turnout till 1 PM while Malda witnessed 54.33 percent.

About 56.09 percent voters exercised their franchise in Dakshin Dinjapur while 55.50 percent votes have been cast in Uttar Dinajpur.

In Alipurduar, 45.56 percent polling has been recorded and it was 53.03 percent in Darjeeling.

Amid allegations of booth rigging, BJP's national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh, who is in-charge of West Bengal, said the party would demand cancellation of polling in all the 11 constituencies of Birbhum.

"We will demand to the Election Commission of India to countermand polling in all the 11 constituencies of the district. What has been going on is a farce, not polling," Singh said.

Meanwhile, Bengali actress turned BJP candidate Locket Chatterjee, who is on fray from Mayureshwar seat, was seen threatening a presiding officer in a booth over alleged reports of large scale rigging.

Despite the deployment of heavy security in the region, violent clashes were witnessed between different party workers which injured at least 10 people.

In the first four hours of the polling, the  Election Commission received more than 300 complaints of various nature.

In this phase of polling, six BJP agents and two CPI(M) agents were allegedly attacked by TMC activists at Ilambazar in Birbhum district.

In fact, according to reports, many voters were  threatened to not cast their votes at Nanur under the same district.

TV reports also showed footage of alleged violence in Bolpur.

In Uttar Dinajpur's Raiganj area, Congress supporters were allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress activists, while a CPI(M) agent was allegedly abducted from a booth in Kankartala of Dubrajpur constituency under Birbhum district.

The opposition parties also complained to the Election Commission that Trinamool Congress Birbhum district President Anubrata Mandal, who is under 24x7 surveillance, has violated the model code of conduct.

He was seen wearing a party badge while casting vote in a booth.

According to reports, the EC has inquired with the Chief Electoral Officer about the incident.

TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal is being kept under 24x7 surveillance until the election process is over (Till May 22).

Opposition parties in West Bengal also alleged that their party agents were not allowed to enter in a large number of booths in Birbhum.

Complaints of booth capturing were made by opposition parties in Labhpur constituency of Birbhum district and Sujapur constituency of Malda district.

False votes were allegedly cast in booth number 163 of Englishbazar constituency in Malda district.

Polling is being conducted in 56 assembly constituencies in seven districts, including Alipurduar (5 seats), Jalpaiguri (7 seats), Darjeeling (6 seats), North Dinajpur (9 seats), South Dinajpur (6 seats), Maldah (12 seats) and Birbhum (11 seats).

About 383 candidates including 33 women are in fray in the 56 constituencies.

Number of voters in these constituencies are nearly 1 crore 22 lakh (Exact figure: 1,21,41, 609 total voters, including 58,91,717 women, 62,49,713 men and 179 transgender or third gender).

Number of polling stations are 13,645 in this phase. Seven constituencies of total 11 in Birbhum district are in LWE (Left Wing Extremism) zone. Time of polling in these constituencies is 7 am. to 4 pm. In all other constituencies, it's 7 am. to 6 pm.

Micro observers are present continuously in 675 booths and web casting is being conducted in 157 booths. For constant observation, 1516 CCTV cameras, including 367 in Birbhum and 289 in Maldah booths, have been set. 

According to ECI sources, close to 750 companies of CPF (110 companies in Birbhum dist. only) are providing security during polls.  As many as 110 Response Teams, 131 Quick Response Teams (QRT), 196 Radio Flying Squads, 94 Heavy Radio Flying Squads and 797 Mobile Surveillance Vehicles are kept ready in this phase. All are comprising of CPF personnel.

The EC also confirmed that helicopter will not be used for surveillance.