Kolkata: West Bengal recorded over 75% voter turnout till 5 p.m. in the fourth phase of the assembly elections on Saturday amid violence during polling in Cooch Behar’s Sitalkuchi constituency.
According to reports, 75.93% voter turnout was recorded till 5:24 p.m. The polling, which began at 7 a.m., will be conducted till 6.30 p.m. in the 44 assembly constituencies voting in this phase.
The Election Commission has, however, ordered suspension of polls at polling station number 126 in the Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency following the violence. The poll body took the decision against the backdrop of four people being killed as central forces allegedly opened fire after coming under attack from the locals.
A total of 373 candidates, including 50 women, are vying for the 44 seats in five districts in this phase. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are contesting for all the 44 seats while the Congress, Left Parties and their alliance partner Indian Secular Front are fighting under the banner of Sanyukt Morcha. There are 153 independent candidates in this phase.
The electoral fate of some of the prominent personalities including Bollywood singer and BJP MP Babul Supriyo, actor and BJP MP Locket Chatterjee, actors Anjana Basu and Arundhati Maitra, cricketer-turned politician Manoj Tiwary, senior journalist Rantidev Sengupta and CPI(M) polit bureau member Mohammed Salim will be decided in this phase.
The ruling TMC and BJP are locked in a fierce battle this time in West Bengal, which is witnessing eight-phase elections.