About 65 per cent polling recorded in Bhatpara

Kolkata, May 16 (UNI) An estimated 65 per cent of 1.18 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the election to Bhatpara Assembly seat of North 24 Parganas today.

Chief Electoral Officer Debashis Sen said about 65 per cent turnout was recorded and the polling was peaceful.

The turnout might go up as polling continued in several booths even after the deadline of 1700 hours, he added.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the constituency, Mr Sen stated.

He refuted charges of slow rate of polling as alleged by CPI(M) candidate Harimohan Nath, who complained to the District Magistrate that in Bhatpara Amarkrishna Pathsala booth polling was going on at a snail's pace.

The District Magistrate had noted his complaint.

Earlier, a CPI(M) polling agent was arrested from Bhatpara Municipality Conservancy School booth for allegedly indicating to voters whom to vote for. He was taken into custody following the CEO's order.

In several booths polling started late following technical snag in EVMs, which were, however, later changed.

A presiding officer of a booth in Sahu Memorial School at Kankinara was changed on charges of dereliction of duty, official sources said.

Trinamool Congress candidate and sitting MLA Arjun Singh and CPI(M)'s Harimohan Nath are trying their luck in the 12-cornered contest.

Election to the seat was countermanded following the death of a candidate even though all the 293 out of a total 294 Assembly constituencies in the state went to polls between April 17 and May 8.

The polling, which was of academic interest, assumed significance as its result would determine whether the Trinamool Congress would manage to enjoy the status of the main Opposition party in the 14th state Assembly.

The party was facing the threat of being denied recognition of the main Opposition after securing only 29 seats - one short of the required number.

According to the rule, a party having at least 30 seats is recognised as the main Opposition party and its CLP leader can be accorded the status of a Cabinet Minister.

The Trinamool Congress won the Bhatpara seat in the 2001 Assembly elections.

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