45 per cent turnout till afternoon in Bengal

Kolkata, May 8 (UNI) An estimated 45 per cent of 8.1 million votes were polled in six North Bengal districts till afternoon today in the fifth and final round of Assembly elections in the state.

Deputy Election Commissioner Anand Kumar said the polling was peaceful and smooth.

'' Polling is peaceful and voters are enthusiastic. We have not received reports of any major incident, '' he told UNI.

The election is being held for 49 seats in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar, North and South Dinajpur and Malda districts.

Official reports said BSF jawans shot dead one person at Rahugram under Islampur constituency in North Dinajpur district, bordering Bangladesh when he was trying to sneak into the Indian territory.

CPI(M) candidate and former Minister Narayan Biswas alleged that he was manhandled and prevented from entering a booth by central para military force jawans.

In a written complaint with the Sub-Divisional Officer, Mr Biswas said the incident took place when he tried to enter booth number 134 of Gangarampur constituency from where he was seeking reelection.

Four RSP activists were arrested from Balurghat and Tapan in South Dinajpore district for campaigning for their parties.

Polling had to be suspended in five booths of Malda, one in Siliguri and four in South Dinajpur following snag in the electronic voting machines, while voters complained of very slow pace of polling from many areas.

Voters in one each booth in Manickchak and Ratua Assembly constituencies in Maldaha district have boycotted polling in protest against lack of development in their areas.

Allegations were also received from a sizable X X X X X X (Eds here picking up from Para nine of CA 10 '' Election-Bengal-Noon Lead Polling ''.

UNI KDG-XC SJC RP KN1500