75 pc turnout in last phase Bengal elections

Kolkata, May 8: The marathon five-phase West Bengal Assembly election to 293 seats ended on a peaceful note with an estimated 75 per cent of 8.1 million electorate exercising their franchise in six North Bengal districts in the fifth and final round today.

Deputy Election Commissioner Anand Kumar and Chief electoral Officer Debasish Sen said the polling was peaceful and smooth.

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

While Malda, Darjeeling, South Dinajpore and North Dinajpore accounted for about 75 per cent polling each, Coochbehar and Jalpaiguri recorded more than 70 and 73 per cent respectively.

Polling was continuing beyond the deadline of 1700 hours in several booths of the six districts.

Though the dissident faction of the Greater Coochbehar People's Association called for a boycott of the poll, it ultimately proved a damp squib, official sources said.

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

Sources also 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.

One CPI(M) worker was arrested from Kumarganj Assembly constituency in South Dinajpore district for trying to enter the polling station with a false EVM.

Four RSP activists were also 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.

The fates of 306 candidates, including Municipal Affairs Minister Ashok Bhattacharya, Forest Minister Jogesh Burman, Relief Minister Hafiz Alam Sairani, Jail Affairs Minister Biswanath Choudhury, Civil Defence Minister Srikumar Mukherjee, Food Processing Minister Sailen Sarkar and Minister of State for PWD Dasarath Tirkey, were decided in this phase.

Election to one Assembly seat, Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district, was countermanded following the death of BSP candidate and would take place on May 16.

UNI