West Bengal registers over 86 per cent polling in phase-2 of assembly elections

Kolkata, Apr 02: West Bengal has recorded a voter turnout of 86.11 per cent in the second phase of polling held in 30 assembly constituencies spread across four districts, Chief Electoral Officer Aariz Aftab said on Friday.

After the second phase of polling was over on Thursday, the CEO''s office had said that 80.43 per cent of 75.94 lakh voters exercised their franchise. An updated figure was released on Friday.

The Nandigram constituency, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been locked in a fight with protege- turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, polled 88.01 per cent votes, the CEO said.

Among the four districts, the highest voter turnout of 87.42 per cent was registered in Purba Medinipur, followed by Bankura (86.98 per cent), South 24 Parganas (86.74 per cent), and Paschim Medinipur (83.84 per cent).

Among constituencies, Bankura district''s Kotulpur recorded the highest polling percentage of 90 per cent, while the lowest voter turnout of 72.68 per cent was registered in Kharagpur Sadar in Paschim Medinipur district, Aftab said. Apart from a few sporadic incidents of violence, the polling was more and less peaceful in the second phase, Aftab had said on Thursday.

The state registered 84.63 per cent polling in the first phase on March 27.

The third phase of the election will be held in West Bengal on April 6. The state will see five more phases and the last one will be conducted on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 2.