Kolkata, May 2 (IANS) Re-polling in 15 polling booths across two Assembly constituencies in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal concluded peacefully on Saturday, with the final average turnout recorded at 90.61 per cent, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal said.

Polling began at 7 a.m. and ended at 6 p.m., with no reports of violence, disruption or tension from any of the booths.

While the overall average polling percentage across all 15 booths stood at 90.61 per cent, the 11 polling booths under the Magrahat (Paschim) Assembly constituency recorded an average turnout of 89.29 per cent.

In comparison, the four polling booths under the Diamond Harbour Assembly constituency recorded a higher average turnout of 91.77 per cent.

The re-polling exercise was conducted under blanket security cover by central forces, assisted by personnel from the state police, with no complaints of poll-related disturbances reported.

Re-polling was held at booths 46, 126, 127, 128, 142, 214, 215, 216, 230, 231 and 232 in Magrahat (Paschim), and booths 117, 179, 194 and 243 in Diamond Harbour.

The two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal this time recorded one of the highest turnouts since Independence, with the average polling percentage across the two phases on April 23 and April 29 touching around 93 per cent.

Nationally, the previous highest polling percentage was recorded in Tripura in 2013, when turnout stood at 91.82 per cent.

In West Bengal, the previous record turnout was during the 2011 Assembly elections, which marked the end of the 34-year Left Front regime and the beginning of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government.

Counting of votes will take place on May 4, and results will be declared the same day.

Most exit polls this time, barring a couple, have predicted the end of the 15-year Trinamool Congress regime and a possible shift in power in the state.

–IANS

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