Kolkata:Around 24.61 per cent turnout was recorded in West Bengal till 11 AM on Saturday, an Election Commission (EC) official here said.
Long queues were seen outside many booths even before polling began with people stepping out early to avoid the sweltering heat, besides the uncertainty of being able to cast their votes in case of violence later in the day.
CPI (M) candidate Sushanta Ghosh alleged that he attacked in Salboni area in Jhargram while visiting booth. His car was reportedly vandalised
Former Trinamool Congress stalwart and Nandigram BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari's brother Soumendu Adhikari said that voters are being influenced and stopped from voting at booth number 149.
“Overall polling being held peacefully. EVMs malfunctioning at some locations, it happens in all polls, EC is looking into it,” he said.
Meanwhile, a delegation of ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) will meet the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) at 12 noon today to raise 'some serious concerns', as polling for the first phase of state assembly elections is underway.
The TMC claimed people voted for us but VVPAT showed them BJP symbol.Taking to Twitter, the Trinamool Congress questioned the Election Commission on how the voting percentage reduced drastically to half within five minutes.
"What is happening @ECISVEEP?! Could you explain how voting percentage drastically reduced to half within a gap of just 5 minutes?! Shocking! @CEOWestBengal, please look into this urgently!" the TMC tweeted.
“Voter turnout for ACs Kanthi Dakshin (216) and Kanthi Uttar (213) at 9:13 am was 18.47% and 18.95% respectively, 4 minutes later at 9:17 am voter turnout reduced to 10.60% and 9:40%. Such discrepancy raises a question on the genuineness of data issued by EC, TMC Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien in a letter to the Election Commission said.
“TMC will win Bengal. Bengal's daughter will defeat Bengal's traitor in his own backyard at Nandigram, members of tourist gang will continue to do what they do best - try & destroy institutions in India. Women in Bengal will continue to wear sarees any way they want,” O'Brien added.
A BJP delegation led by party leader Kailash Vijayvargiya will also meet CEO West Bengal at 2 pm today.
BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari writes to Election Commission, seeking suspension of Haldia Addl SP Partha Ghosh, Haldia SDPO Barunbaidya and some other officers of Nandigram Police Station for "helping TMC members in carrying out malpractices, irregularities during polls".(UNI)
