Reported By:
| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: May 05, 2016, 05:50 PM IST
The last phase of polling in the month long drawn West Bengal Elections is being held today. 25 seats are in fray. Thousands of security personnel have been stationed in East Midnapore and CoochBehar districts which are polling today.
An electorate of over 58 lakh is eligible to cast their ballots at 6,774 polling stations between 7 AM to 6 PM. In all, 170 candidates, including 18 women, are in the fray for the last phase. Maintaining a tight security cover, the poll panel has deployed 361 companies of central forces who are assisted by a contingent of 12,000 state police personnel.
Out of the total electors, 27.8 lakh are females while the third gender is a small minority of 68 voters. For the first time since Independence, residents of border enclaves in CoochBehar district will be able to exercise their franchise, thanks to the formal inclusion of the enclaves in the Indian territory last year.
There are 9,776 voters in the enclave, for whom special arrangements and awareness program have been done. Among them is 103-year-old Asgar Ali of Madhya Mashaldanga who is eligible to vote for the first time in his life.
In East Midnapore, on the other hand, the district administration has taken special intervention to make the elections a disabled friendly one.They have pinpointed 15,500 persons with disability in the electoral rolls.
Each polling premises has a wheelchair, ramp with handrails and braille signage.In the two districts, the commission has so far identified 714 vulnerable hamlets and 1685 vulnerable voters.
Close to 900 trouble-mongers have been identified and action taken against all of them.All eyes will be on Nandigram in East Midnapore district where a violent anti-land acquisition movement had helped uproot the 34-year-long Left Front government. Trinamool Congress, which had won all 16 seats in East Midnapore district in 2011, has now fielded its Tamluk MP Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram. He is pitted against CPI's Abdul Kabir Sheikh, supported by the Congress-Left alliance.
State Environment Minister Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar is another heavyweight in the fray. He is seeking to defend his Mahisadal seat. Former Trinamool minister Hiten Barman is trying his luck once again from Sitalkuchi seat.
TMC won 20 out of the 25 seats in 2011 and was ahead in 24 assembly segment in 2014. The party will look to get around 20 seats this time to ensure that they get back to power. The Cong- Left alliance will look to win handsomely in CoochBehar which is its traditional stronghold to offset for possible losses in East Midnapore.
With agency inputs
Over 84% of the electorate exercised their franchise till 5pm in the sixth and last phase of Assembly election.
Today's election had been historic as around 9400 people who for the first time became citizens of India, also cast their votes, said the Election Commission.
Delhi: Gautam Khaitan leaves CBI office after questioning of over 8 hours #AgustaWestland
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2016
Till 3 PM, overall polling percentage is 74.15%
Voting in CoochBehar has been brisk so far recording 72.15% and in East Medinipore it is 75.19% .
In Khejuri , allegation was of TMC members digging up roads to stop CPIM supports from voting. CRPF after recieving the news promptly swung into action and have repaired the roads.
Poll panel has registered an FIR against two Trinamool Congress candidates- Udayan Guha from Dinhata constituency and Rabindranath Ghosh from Natabari constituency.
The FIR has been registered against them for coordinating false voting. However, allegations of moving around in a vehicle with a Trinamool Congress symbol surfaces besides misbehaving with a sector officer.
Poll percentage at 1pm stands at 61.88%.
Coochbehar has logged 58.81% turnout and East Midnapore has received 63.61% votes so far.
TMC leader Nirbed Roy has landed himself in controversy. According to reports, sweet packets were distributed with Nirbed Roy's face in Tamluk, from where he is contesting. In Natabari, TMC candidate Rabindra Nath Ghosh has created controversy by standing in front of EVM while the voting was going on.
Brisk polling so far. Poll percentage at 11am stands at 45.88%.
Coochbehar has recorded 42.07% and Purba Medinipur has recorded 48.02%.
Central Force resorts to a lathicharge on suspected outsiders at Cooch Behar district's Toofanganj.
Polling obstructed following malfunctioning of a EVM at Jagir Chilkhana FP School in Natabari centre of Cooch Behar district.
Nearly 500 complaints have been lodged with Election Commission so far. Most from TMC stronghold of East Midnapore district where the party won all the 16 seats last time.
EC has taken strict view of TMC leader Subhendu Adhikary meeting OC's of different police stations in the run up to the polls. EC has asked for mobile tower location of all the OCs who met the TMC MP.
TMC district secretary of Murshidabad, Subeer Sarkar has been shot. He is currently admitted to a hospital and is in a critical condition, according to Zee 24 Ghanta. Infighting within the party is suspected to be the reason behind this attack on Subeer Sarkar.
5 TMC workers arrested in Mainna, East Midnapore for allegedly trying to intimidate voters. 2 workers have been detained.
Some reports of violence coming from Natabari, in Cooch Behar. TMC camp office have been ransacked by miscreants there.
On the other hand, there are allegations that TMC is trying to influence voters in some booth of the same constituency.
Bengal poll update -
Poll percentage at 9am stands at 23.46%. Coochbehar 21.59%, Purba Mednipur 24.45 %
Snapshots of the polling process underway currently.
Cooch Behar: Voters line up outside a polling booth to cast their vote in final phase of West Bengal Assembly polls. pic.twitter.com/ecqyrZ87nZ
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2016
Nandigram:People line up outside a polling booth to cast their vote in final phase of West Bengal Assembly elections pic.twitter.com/3KJZjwgStF
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2016
A differently abled woman arrives to cast her vote at a polling booth in Cooch Behar for final phase #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/5Zdatr0nN7
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2016
People gather outside a polling booth in Cooch Behar to cast vote in final phase of West Bengal assembly elections. pic.twitter.com/SucEvHI8Hj
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 5, 2016
So far polling has been reasonably peaceful. There are reports of some disturbances coming from Sheetalkuchi constituency in CoochBehar district.
