Assembly elections 2021: West Bengal records nearly 80 per cent turnout, Assam 77 per cent

Kolkata, Mar 27: The Election Commission on Saturday said that West Bengal recorded nearly 80 per cent of voter turnout while Assam saw an estimated 77 per cent turnout in the polling for the first phase of Assembly elections. Voting was held in a total of 77 seats spread across both states.

In West Bengal, polling was held in 30 seats- several of them part of the once-Naxal-hit Jangalmahal region- amid tight security and strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines, EC official said. Although the overall poll situation was largely peaceful, sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various places that went to the polls.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's younger brother Soumendu allegedly said that he was attacked in Kanthi by TMC supporters. He also alleged that his car was vandalised and his driver was injured in the attack.

The Kanthi seat also saw voters staging protests outside a polling booth over an alleged malfunctioning of an electronic voting machine (EVM). The agitators blocked a road outside a polling station at Majna, claiming that the VVPAT slip showed results in favour of a particular party, no matter which outfit they voted for.

In the Salboni seat of Paschim Medinipur, CPI(M) candidate Susanta Ghosh was heckled and stones were hurled at his car allegedly by TMC supporters, the police said.

Of the 30 seats that went to the polls, nine are in Purulia, four each in Jhargram and Bankura, six in Paschim Medinipur, and seven in high-stakes Purba Medinipur district.

In Assam, where 47 Assembly seats went to polls, the Election Commission said polling was overall peaceful although a few complaints of EVM glitches were lodged.