WB: Blasts, attacks mar polling, 79% recorded, down from 2009

, May 12: Seventeen Lok Sabha constituencies in

went to the polls today with the final phase of this year's general

. A total of 25.61 million voters will cast their ballot in the state to choose from 188 candidates. Twenty women candidates are in fray.

[Read: 2009 results in today's constituencies in West Bengal]

[Read: Why Trinamool Congress is desperate in its own den]

Other details from West Bengal poll today:

Total polling booths: 31,392

Total EVMs: 37,670

Personnel deployed: 2,41,255

6:40 pm: Total 79% vote have been recorded in the 17 seats in West Bengal till 6 pm. The final turn out is down from 82% in 2009.

6:05 pm: A bomb was dropped at Posta, just after the polls got over at 6 pm

6:00 pm: Polling comes to an end.

5:40 pm: CPM offices ransacked in Kashba and Bagbazar; Many reported to be injured in Kashba, 2 in Bagbazar

5:20 pm: Bengal records 77.41% turn out till 5 pm

Polling% till 5 PM: Baharampur 77.01%, Krishnanagar 81.4%, Ranaghat 81.25%, Bongaon 81.85%, Barrackpore 72.7%, Dumdum 73.72%
Polling% till 5 PM: Barasat 79.9%, Diamond Harbour 76.5%, Joynagar 78.15%, Basirhat 80.14%
Polling% till 5 PM: Tamluk 85.7%, Kanthi 82.7%, Ghatal 81.3%, Kolkata Uttar 60.09%, Kolkata Dakshin 65.9%, Jadavpur 73.5%, Mathurapur 78.2%

5:15 pm: Largest amount of violence has taken place in this phase of elections : Sitaram Yechury

5:02 pm: Bengal records 70% voter turn out till 4 pm.

Meanwhile, local TMC leader Udayan Mandal's son Subhankar Mandal has been arrested in Haroa case and Sudhir Kumar Rakesh-the special observer reaches Haroa.

5:00 pm: West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee reaches Mitra Institution to cast her vote.

4:45 pm: Mamata Banerjee expresses 'shock' at media's biasness.

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4:30 pm: Central force jawan gives a neutral point of view; says,"I have seen polling process in the entire country, but never seen a one like this."

4:25 pm: Ex-CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee casts vote.

4:15 pm: Tamluk's Madhurigram witnesses poll violence; Voter list torn in Metiabruz.

3:45 pm: Congress office ransacked in Metiabruz.

3:30 pm: Police official assaulted in Kudghat's Adarsha Vidyalay for stopping TMC party members, posing as voters, from casting votes.

3:20 pm: Voter turn out till 3 pm is 67%.

3:12 pm: 12 arrested in Haroa case. UNcertain about the identities of those arrested.

3:00 pm: Election Commission blamed for unruliness.

2:50 pm: A BSF jawan in Kalindi's polling booth was stabbed several times with a sharp object for stopping TMC workers from poll violence. The victim is now being treated in a hospital.

2:45 pm: Derek O'Brien brushes poll violence under the carpet, says "nothing happened".

2:35 pm: Good voter turn out amid violence.

2:20 pm: Voters greeted with yellow roses at model polling station in Berhampore in West Bengal.

2:15 pm: Blue marks found next to the name of the TMC candidate in some EVMs claimed to be put to help voters who need Braille to cast their ballot.

2:05 pm: Two bombs were allegedly thrown at former Kolkata Deputy Mayor Mina Devi Purohit's car by unidentified miscreants at Bowbazar, Kolkata.

2:00 pm: Saurav Ganguly casts his vote:

1:50: Magician PC Sorcar Jr. cast their vote

1:35 pm: Voter turn out in various constituencies:

Polling% till 1 PM: Baharampur 51.72%, Krishnanagar 57.37%, Ranaghat 55.5%, Bongaon 58.3%, Barrackpore 58%, Dumdum 53%
Polling% till 1 PM: Barasat 56.9%, Diamond Harbour 56.1%, Joynagar 54.2%, Basirhat 55.8%
Polling% till 1 PM: Tamluk 64.29%, Kanthi 61%, Ghatal 62.8%, Kolkata Uttar 49.08%, Kolkata Dakshin 48.7%, Jadavpur 54.08%, Mathurapur 56%

1.30 pm: 56.38% polling turnout in West Bengal till 1 pm.

1.15 pm: Opposition candidates harassed while polling in Kolkata. The candidates include CPI(M)'s Nandini Mukherjee, Congress's Shakti Moitra and BJP's PC Sarcar Junior.

1.10 pm: TMC candidate Tapas Paul allegedly jumps queue and enters booth by force, cops remain spectator.

12:40 pm: CPM camp office ransacked by TMC party workers in Bangur.

12:35 pm: Crude bombs hurled at Ex-Deputy Mayor (Kolkata) and BJP leader Meena Devi Purohit's residence in Posta, bombs did not explode.

12:30 pm: Derek O'Brien rants against local Bengali channel:

12:25 pm: Superstar Dev was left red-faced when he was asked to stand in queue for voting. [Read]

<center><iframe width="100%" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jTvgsnbSCWo?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>

Meanwhile, actor Jeet cast his vote:

12:05: 5 missing from those injured in Haroa

11:55 am: TMC workers attempt influencing polls, stand close to the voting machine.

11:45 am: Violence spreads across West Bengal. Main targets alleged to be CP(I)M.

11:30 am: The last phase of elections grows nastier; SFI member Chandan Das thrown in boiling oil; 4 CP(I)M leader alleged to have been kidnapped.

11:22 am: Voter turn out 40.02% till 11 am; Voter turn out by constituencies as follows:

Polling% till 11 AM: Baharampur 40.7%, Krishnanagar 41.4%, Ranaghat 40.4%, Bongaon 38%, Barrackpore 43%, Dumdum 39%

Polling% till 11 AM: Barasat 38.1%, Diamond Harbour 38%, Joynagar 39.6%, Basirhat 44%

Polling% till 11 AM: Tamluk 49%, Kanthi 45%, Ghatal 48.8%, Kolkata Uttar 31%, Kolkata Dakshin 35.6%, Jadavpur 41%

11:20 am: 28% voter turn out in West Bengal till 10 am.

11:15 am: Congress attacks TMC, says there is no change in West Bengal, hence the violence, arson and attacks. Election Commission should take a serious note of the issue.

11:10 am: Derek blames local media channels.

11:10 am: CP(I)M leader Nandini Mukherjee harassed by TMC in Barisha, Purbapada

10:55 am: Sitaram Yechury criticizes Election Commission:

10:50 am: Re-elections in 11 out of 43 booths tomorrow.

10:40 am: Pictures of violence in West Bengal

10:30 am: Voter turn out till 9 am is 21.15%

10:25 am: Congress's Adhir Chowdhury said that violence was imminent between the opposition. "TMC had got a glimpse of the people's mood in the third phase and so Mamata Banerjee has not taken a risk this time." [Read]

10:20 am: Derek O'Brien tweets,"Everyone is giving vote peacefully but in some places, CPM, Congress and BJP are creating hurdles for democracy." He further blames the former Panchayat Pradhan Dinabandhu Mandal for creating a mess. 11 of our workers are injured."

Blame game begins as CPM says that it was TMC that started the gun battle. The injured had to wait for 2 hours before being taken to the hospital.

Victims claim TMC behind the attack.

10:00 am: Superstar Dev casts vote; Voter turn out increases in various areas:

10:00 am: Pregnant woman dies due to kick on belly in Natagarh polling booth.

9:45 am: Allegation of poll violence in Beleghata area.

9:30 am: 30 voters locked in Narayanpur; threat on life if voted. It is alleged that TMC held 30 voters captive in Narayanpur and threatened to kill them if they came out to vote.

9:20 am: Moon Moon Sen, daughters cast their vote

9:15 am: Voter turnout by constituencies:

9:10 am: 21.04% voter turn out till 9 am.

9:02 am: Unrest in dumdum booth 101 and 103; CP(I)M booth agents not allowed to enter booths.

Meanwhile, in Haroa where CP(I)M and TMC workers clashed, 4 people got hit by bullets and 20 got injured and have been hospitalised. Worst case of poll violence in West Bengal. [Read]

9:00 am: TMC leader Indraneil Sen, who was injured in a scuffle, said that the "TMC Leaders are elite and do not indulge in violence unlike the Congress. It is, however, not right to point fingers at others right now. I wish all the best to TMC workers today."

8:55 am: Mamata Banerjee fields nephew Abhishek Banerjee from Diamond Harbour region.

8:35 am: "Left front will do very well here," says CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat in West Bengal.

8:30 am: Reports coming in of EVM tampering. Sources say the TMC option has a blue button beside it, standing apart from the others.

8:25 am: Narkeldanga, Sukanta Colony school booths were captured.

8:10 am: Sudip Bandhopadhyay, TMC Leader said that the people want to see the party in the third position in LS. No comments on the four-cornered fight in Uttar Kolkata with 7-time MLA-Soumendra Mitra (a former TMC member who left the party to join Congress), Rupa Bagchi (CPM), Rahul Sinha (BJP).

8:05 am: Women assaulted in Kalyani's Goyeshpur area polling booth; TMC blamed

7:50 am: EVMs reportedly tampered in several places in West Bengal. Tension in Barrackpore's polling booth; CP(I)M leaders beaten.

7:45 am: In an intended jibe at BJP's Prime Ministrial candidate Narendra Modi, Derek O'Brien Tweets:

7:40 am: Tension in Bashirhat area; Voters pulled out from voting queue.

7:35 am: Tension in Bhangor

7:25 am: "Bengal leads the way," says Derek. "I love the electoral process and everyone is voting peacefully. Trinamool Congress would be the third largest party in Lok Sabha. We have done some very good work," he further added. He, however, refused to comment on the RSS's comments that they are open to all political parties, except Congress. He said,"it's between the RSS and the BJP; TMC has made its stance clear."

Reports, however suggest that BJP is giving headaches to the TMC from Sreerampore, Dumdum.

Candidates from the TMC, BJP were attacked yesterday.

7:20 am: Tension in East Mednipore. Haroa's Brahman Chowk also witnessed fire exchange, 1 injured; scuffle between political parties and voters-4 voters injured; blame on Trinamool Congress.

Brisk voting in several areas of the state.

7:10 am: Derek O'Brien casts his vote

7.00 am: Polling begins.

Oneindia News