50 per cent polling recorded till afternoon

Kolkata, May 3 : More than 50 per cent votes were cast in three West Bengal districts till this afternoon in a high turnout polling for the fourth and penultimate phase of Assembly elections.

Deputy Election Commissioner Anand Kumar said the polling was ''absolutely peaceful'' and no untoward incident had been reported so far.

Sources in the election office said Birbhum and Burdwan recorded around 52 per cent turnout each, while Murshidabad accounted for about 48 per cent.

Massive number of voters turned up in front of the booths in all the three districts and waited in queues braving gruelling heat as the average temperature hovered around 44 degree Celsius.

Women voters were present in a large number in many areas.

A report from the industrial town of Durgapur said overflowing enthusiasm of voters marked even the posh areas with people from all walks of life coming out to vote ignoring the scorching sun.

UNI