70 per cent turnout in West Bengal third phase polls

New Delhi, Apr 27 (UNI) A high 70 per cent turnout was recorded in the third phase of assembly election in West Bengal held in 76 constituencies today.

The Bhatpara constituency in 24 North Parganas district, where polls were scheduled today, had been countermanded due to the death of the BSP candidate.

''The polling was peaceful and 70 per cent of the electorate cast their votes,'' Deputy Election Commissioner R Bhattacharya told a news conference.

As many as 12.3 million voters, including 5.7 million women, were eligible to vote in the third phase.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was the prominent candidate in this phase of elections contested by 474 candidates, including 36 women.

The polling in Bhatpara will be held on May 16.

There were no major incidents or no major complaints, said Mr Bhattacharya. ''Our observers were there everywhere,'' he added.

There was, however, a case of malfunctioning of EVMs in one polling booth in the Salt Lake Area in Kolkata, which was rectified.

UNI FZ YA GC1948