West Bengal Elections: Phase 5 Polling Ends With Over 78% Turnout; TMC Writes To EC Over Mamata's Audio Clip

Security arrangements was increased for this phase of elections in view of the violence in Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar, during voting in the fourth phase where four persons were killed in the firing of the central forces.

Kolkata: Over 78 percent voter turnout was recorded as West Bengal its fifth phase of the assembly elections on Saturday. The voting, which began at 7 a.m., is being conducted in over 15,000 polling stations amid tight security arrangements and Covid-19 guidelines put in place by the Election Commission.

"At least 78.36 per cent voter turnout was registered till 5 pm on Saturday across 45 assembly constituencies of West Bengal where voting was held for the fifth phase," the Chief Electoral Officer Aariz Aftab said.

According to reports, Jalpaiguri witnessed the highest polling percentage (81.73), followed by Purba Bardhaman (81.72), Nadia (81.57), North 24 Parganas (74.83), Darjeeling (74.31) and Kalimpong (69.56).

Security arrangements have been increased for this phase in view of the violence in Sitalkuchi, Cooch Behar, during voting in the fourth phase where four persons were killed in the firing of the central forces. The Election Commission has deployed 33 general observers, 16 expenditure observers and 12 police observers for this phase. 

There were, however, reports of violence from Nadia and North 24 Parganas as voting began earlier in the day but the polling has been largely peaceful so far.

The women and first-time voters turned up in huge numbers to exercise their right to franchise in this phase where voting is on for 45 assembly constituencies, including 16 seats in North 24 Parganas, eight each in Purba Bardhaman and Nadia, seven in Jalpaiguri, five in Darjeeling, and one in Kalimpong district.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) wrote to the Election Commission for allegedly recording and releasing an audio clip of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with the party’s Sitalkuchi MLA candidate Partha Pratim Roy.

In the purported clip, Banerjee can be heard talking to the TMC candidate, allegedly asking him to hold rallies with the bodies of the four people who were killed by the security forces in Cooch Behar district's Sitalkuchi constituency, news agency PTI reported.

This phase is crucial for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is aiming to better its tally of 32 seats won in the last assembly elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have campaigned extensively for this phase in a bid to ensure the saffron party’s victory in the TMC-ruled state.

Over 78 percent voter turnout was recorded in the fourth phase. West Bengal is voting in eight phases this time. The results will be declared on May 2.