Polling for 152 of the 294 seats in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections concluded on Thursday amid sporadic incidents of violence, even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) and chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar lauded voters for the “highest-ever turnout” in the state.
Police said 41 people have been arrested in connection with the clashes. Polling in 16 districts began at 7 am amid tight security to decide the electoral fate of 1,478 candidates.
According to updated ECI figures, the voter turnout stood at 92.35%. “This is the highest-ever percentage in West Bengal since Independence,” Kumar said.
However, some clashes were reported in parts of the state. Tensions flared in parts of Murshidabad, Birbhum, Cooch Behar and Dakshin Dinajpur, where crude bombs were allegedly hurled and candidates of both the parties faced attacks, even as security forces were deployed in large numbers to ensure a free and fair polling process.
A clash between the ruling TMC and the CPI(M) in Raipur left at least four people injured. In a separate incident at Shibnagar in Nowada, crude bombs were hurled following a clash between the TMC and the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), a party launched by former TMC MLA Humayun Kabir.
BJP candidate from Kumarganj in Dakshin Dinajpur Suvendu Sarkar was allegedly assaulted by workers of the TMC outside a polling station while visiting the booths. BJP candidate from Asansol South in West Burdwan Agnimitra Paul also alleged that the rear windshield of her vehicle was damaged during stone pelting.
