Bengal byelections pass off peacefully

Kolkata, Sep 16 (UNI) About 65 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the byelections for three Parliamentary and one Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, which was held peacefully.

Chief Electoral Officer(CEO) Debasish Sen said barring minor stray incidents nothing untoward had been reported from anywhere.

''The polling was smooth and peaceful,'' he said.

The bypolls were held in Malda, Katwa and Purulia Lok Sabha constituencies and Bongaon Assembly constituency.

However, reports received from districts said three CPI(M) supporters were injured in a clash with Congress workers in Malda's Kaliachak. In Katwa police lathicharged a group of people at Purbasthali and arrested one person at Pandua in connection with a clash.

In all, 70 companies of paramiliatry forces were deployed in the four constituencies.

The opposition Trinamool Congress and Congress struck a tacit understanding to fight elections against the ruling Left Front in all the constituencies.

The byelection in Malda was necessitated following the death of Congress stalwart A B A Ghani Khan Chowdhury while the Katwa seat fell vacant with the death of CPI(M) MP Mahboob Zahedi. Forward Bloc MP Bir Singh Mahato's resignation after he got implicated in a criminal case led to election in Purulia while Bongaon went to polls to fill the void created by the death of Trinamool Legislator Bhupen Seth.

People, braving the hot sun, stood in long queues in front of the polling booths to exercise their democratic right.

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