Bengal elections end with high turnout

Kolkata, May 8 (UNI) The marathon 25-day West Bengal Assembly elections, marked by an unprecedented security, ended peacefully as an estimated 75 per cent of 8.1 million electorate exercised their franchise in six districts in the fifth and final phase today.

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

Mr.Sen said polling was continuing even beyond the deadline of 1700 hours in several areas with large number of voters queuing up in front of booths.

For the first time the entire election was held amid a high alert of the Election Commission, implementing rigorous rules and strictly monitoring the process all through as it did during the Bihar polls.

Today's polling was for 49 seats in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar, North and South Dinajpur and Malda districts.

The previous phases were held on April 17, 22, 27 and May three for altogether 244 out of a total of 294 seats. Polling for Bhatpara constituency, which was countermanded because of the death of a candidate, will be held on May 16.

Counting of votes will be held on May eleven and the results are expected to be announced the same day.

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.

Despite a vote boycott call by the separatist Greater Coochbehar People's Association(GCPA), an overwhelming number of people participated in the hustings in the district.

An overall 80 per cent of the electorate had cast their votes in the previous phases in a high-turnout election.

Left Front Committee Chairman Biman Basu congratulated the people for peaceful and free elections and asserted that the ruling coalition would form the Government for the seventh successive term.

He, however, blamed the Election Commission for denying 'many genuine voters' of their right to vote and the 'abnormally tardy' pace of polling.

While praising the Election Commission for an 'unprecedented free and fair' election, West Bengal Pradesh Congress Working President Pradip Bhattacharjee also exuded confidence that his party would do better.

Reserving comments on overall performance, senior Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy claimed that for the first time the party would pull off a good performance in North Bengal.

The CEO said three persons were arrested in South Dinajpur district for campaigning during polling while a Presiding Officer was removed by the EC observer at Mathabhanga in Jalpaiguri district for violating rules.

As in the previous phases, Electronic Voting Machines developed snag in a number of places forcing temporary suspension of polling, he said.

Eds. here pick up suitably from earlier series.

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