People vote with a silence clipped to their lips

Kolkata, Apr 27 (UNI) A studied silence, brisk polling and simmering security net marked the third phase of elections for 76 seats in Kolkata, North and South 24 Parganas districts today.

While women turned out in large numbers to give their votes, what was noticable was a stoic silence in everybody's face. While the tension is palpable with the candidates making a first round of their booths, even they are unwilling to predict the outcome before polling ends today.

A septuagenarian woman in Baguiati said, "This time the voting is much more eficient. I dont have a count of the number of times I have voted, but I faced no problems." Even women from the minority communities came out in big numbers to cast their mandate. A burkha clad lady in Kashipur said, "Is baar sab kuch kaide se ho raha hai (Things are being done in order this time)." While a CISF Jawan in one of the booths in Belgachia East said, "We are keeping a strict vigil over the proceedings. No one is allowed to enter the booths with their mobile phones on. They have to keep their identity cards in their hands and also know their booth number." "We are co-operating with everyone as long as they are on the right side of the law," he said.

The agency reporter while making rounds of Rajarhat-Gopalpur, Kashipur, Belgachia(East) and Dum Dum constituencies saw voting progress on a brisk note.

With the mercury rising as the day progressed, people came out in large numbers early to cast their votes. On an average 10 to 13 per cent polling has been recorded in the first two hours.

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