Brisk polling in fifth round of Bengal elections (Third Lead)
May 7th, 2011 - 5:09 pm ICT by IANS
Kolkata, May 7 (IANS) As many as 59 percent of ballots had been cast Saturday in the first six hours of voting in four West Bengal districts — three of them Maoist-affected — in the fifth and penultimate phase of the assembly elections.
Over 74 lakh people are eligible to vote in 38 constituencies spread over parts of Burdwan and Maoist-affected West Midnapore, Bankura, and Purulia districts that went to polls at 7 a.m.
Two helicopters are carrying out aerial surveillance in the forested areas and remote corners of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, while around 550-600 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed on ground.
Polling to decide the fate of 193 candidates is being held in 12 seats of West Midnapore, five in Purulia, nine in Bankura, and 12 in Burdwan districts in this phase covering 9,425 booths. However, the polls in this phase do not include the 14 constituencies considered the hotbed of Maoist activities, which are slated to vote in the final phase May 10.
“Around 59 percent polling has been recorded till 1 p.m.,” Additional Chief Electoral Officer N.K. Sahana told IANS.
“After the first six hours, the voting percentage was 59 in West Midnapore, 58 in Purulia and 60 in Bankura. In Burdwan, the figure was 59 percent,” said Sahana.
Nine preventive arrests were made in Burdwan, while 44 Electronic Voting Machines had to be changed after they malfunctioned. Among the heavyweights in the fray are state Health Minister Surjya Kanta Mishra (Narayangarh of West Mindapore district) and state Congress president Manas Bhuniya (Sabong of West Midnapore).
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is contesting 32 seats, the Communist Party of India (CPI) one, Forward Bloc three, the Trinamool Congress 33, the Congress five and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 38.
Polls for the 294-member assembly, which started April 18, will end May 10 with the sixth phase.
Polling has been completed in 242 seats in the first four phases. The counting of votes will take place May 13.
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Tags: aerial surveillance, assembly elections, bankura, bharatiya janata party, burdwan, chief electoral officer, communist party of india, communist party of india marxist, congress president, electronic voting machines, forward bloc, midnapore, preventive arrests, purulia, sabong, sahana, sixth phase, state congress, trinamool congress, west bengal