Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) Contrary to the past trends of low voter turnout between 1 P.M. and 3 P.M. in the last few elections, a high voting rate continued during that time frame in the first phase of the Assembly polls in West Bengal on Thursday, with the polling percentage increasing to 78.77 at 3 P.M from 62.18 per cent till 1 P.M.

This means that during the two hours between 1 P.M. and 3 P.M. on Thursday, the percentage point increase in polling in the 152 Assembly constituencies was 16.59, which the poll observers feel is quite unusual, especially because of the scorching summer heat and humidity in West Bengal during that period.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the average polling percentage in the seven phases of polls in West Bengal was 63.92 per cent.

The polling process will officially conclude at 6 P.M. Political observers feel that if the current trend of high polling rate continues for the remaining three hours, the final polling percentage will surely be well above 90 per cent, a figure which was never witnessed in the last few years.

Assembly-wise, till 3 P.M. on Thursday, the maximum polling percentage had been recorded at Samserganj in Murshidabad district at 87.53 per cent. District-wise, the maximum polling percentage till 3 P.M. had been recorded at South Dinajpur at 81.49 per cent on Thursday. The least voting percentage was recorded in the hill district of Kalimpong at 74.07 per cent.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Congress had raised allegations of irregularities in both the Bharatpur and Berhampur Assembly constituencies in Murshidabad district. The Congress leaders have accused Trinamool Congress workers of booth-grabbing and tampering with the EVMs.

On Thursday, Congress leader Niloy Pramanik submitted a written complaint to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, Manoj Agarwal, in the matter.

On the other hand, tension broke out at Dubrajpur in Birbhum district, after the polling process was halted for around 30 minutes because of the EVM malfunctioning in one particular booth.

This led to protests, and that protest resulted in clashes between the voters and the central forces personnel deployed there. A police vehicle was vandalised in the melee and a section of the agitated crowd rushed towards the forces. They also tried to throw bricks at the forces personnel and some jawans were injured in the incident.

–IANS

src/sch/rad