A total of 11,581,022 voters will decide the fate of 373 candidates in the fourth phase of West Bengal assembly elections as polling is underway in 44 constituencies that are spread over Howrah (Part II), South 24 Parganas (Part III), Hooghly (Part II), Alipurduar and Cooch Behar. The voting in the 44 assembly constituencies started at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm. Four people died after CISF allegedly opened fire after coming under attack in Sitalkuchi in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, PTI reports quoting police sources.
As of 5:24 pm, a voter turnout of 75.93% was recorded in the fourth phase of polling in the West Bengal elections.
Polling is underway for nine assembly constituencies in Howrah, 11 in South 24 Parganas, five in Alipurduar, nine in Coochbehar, and ten in Hooghly.
However, after reports of violence in Cooch Behar’s Sitalkurchi, the Election Commission ordered adjournment of polls in polling station 125 of the assembly.
Saturday’s polling will decide the electoral fates of Union Minister Babul Supriyo and West Bengal ministers Partha Chatterjee and Arup Biswas. Two BJP MPs are also in the fray on Saturday.
In a video released by ANI, people were seen attacking the car of BJP leader Locket Chatterjee in Hooghly during Saturday’s polling. In the Hooghly district, media vehicles were also attacked during the fouth phase polling.
The Election Commission of India has deployed at least 789 companies of the central armed police force (CAPF) in 15,940 polling stations spread over the 44 constituencies.
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Babul Supriyo is locked in a contest with sitting MLA Arup Biswas at Tollygunj, known to be the heart of the Bengali film industry in the southern outskirts of Kolkata. Meanwhile, Partha Chatterjee, who is also the TMC’s secretary general, will take on film actor Srabanti Chatterjee of the BJP in Behala West seat to return to the Assembly for the fourth successive term.
Elections for the 294 assembly seats in West Bengal are being held in eight phases. The votes will be counted on May 2.
