Impressive voter turnout in Bengal in 10 hours

People, maintaining social distancing, wait in queues to cast votes at Sirshi. Pic/PTI

Eight hours after voting began for Assembly polls on Saturday, West Bengal seems to be showing an unprecedented enthusiasm for the electoral exercise, with around 79 per cent voter turnout already recorded in the first phase of polling.

More than half of the 73 lakh electorate in the 30 Assembly constituencies had already cast their vote and sealed the fate of 191 candidates who are in the fray on the first day of the eight-phase elections in the state underway in five districts. There have been reports of EVM malfunctioning at more than 60 booths and allegations of violence.

The serpentine queues showed people are aware of the importance of the crucial poll, which are being closely watched because of the prestige battle between Suvendu Adhikari, a former Trinamool Congress man, who is now facing his erstwhile supremo Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram. The voters also have 21 women candidates to choose from in this phase. COVID-19 protocols for the voters, including thermal screening, were maintained.

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