Though there weresome stray incidents but the state recorded huge polling in the fifth phase ofthe election. The final figures are yet to come but the voters' turnoutrecorded by the commission shows that there was 78.36 percent polling till5:35pm on Saturday evening.
According to the data released by the commission, Jalpaiguri registered thehighest voting percentage of 81.73 percent followed by East Burdwan with 81.72percent. Nadia witnessed 81.57 percent voting while North 24 Parganas andDarjeeling had 74.83 and 74.32 percent voting respectively. Kalimpong recordedthe lowest turnout with 69.56 percent.
There were altogether 319 candidates from different political parties in thefifth phase of polls that was conducted in 45 constituencies including 7 inJalpaiguri, 5 in Darjeeling, 1 in Kalimpong, 8 in Nadia, 16 in North 24Parganas and 8 in East Burdwan.
Though overall the voting was peaceful all over the state, there were somesporadic incidents including the arrest of an Independent candidate of ChakdahAC in Nadia district for having a firearm in his possession. "KoushikBhowmick, the candidate was found going around a polling booth at Baliadanga,Daspara area with a country made gun tucked in his trousers. He dropped thefirearm when the central forces intercepted him after the local people raised ahue and cry," CEO Ariz Aftab told the media after the election.
Incidentally a booth agent of the BJP Abhijit Samanta died after falling sickat a polling station in Kamarhati, North 24 Parganas district. He was rushed toa local hospital where he was declared brought dead. In another incident threepersons were arrested when one person identified as Haran Gaur was attackednear Santipur police station area in Nadia district in which he sustained leginjuries. He was taken to a hospital.
Supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)clashed with each other at Shanti Nagar in Bidhannagar in North 24 Parganasdistrict. The supporters of both the parties resorted to stone pelting andphysically assaulted each other. A huge police force accompanied by the centralforces reached the spot and brought the situation under control.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) also referred to an incident where a TMCbooth agent at Galsi in East Burdwan district was beaten up allegedly by BJPsupporters when he tried to stop them from proxy voting at a polling booth inJahanpur.
"The Commission has received 2,241 complaints through various platformstoday (Saturday) and 123 people have been arrested including 100 preventivearrests." the CEO said.
When asked about complaints by a number of candidates that they were preventedfrom entering polling booths by the central forces, the CEO said that theforces have been issued clear cut instructions that candidates should not bestopped from entering polling booths. The TMC candidate from Kamarhati, MadanMitra and the BJP nominee from Baranagar Parno Mitra were allegedly initiallyprevented from entering booths.
The 45 assembly seats that witnessed voting are expected to see a close fightwith the TMC leading in 23 against the BJP's 22 in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.