Heavy voter turnout despite sporadic violence in Bengal

Election Commission sources here said West Midnapore registered 76 per cent, Bankura over 70.80 per cent and Burdwan nearly 68 per cent polling till 3 pm.

Long queues were seen in front of various polling booths since early morning as people turned out in large numbers to beat the sweltering heat as day temperatures are above 40 degrees Celsius due to a heatwave in the area.

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from polling booths in Jamuria constituency in Burdwan.

A CPI(M) agent was injured after he was allegedly beaten up by Trinamool Congress workers and obstructed from entering a polling booth in the constituency. TMC denied the allegation. 

Two bags containing bombs were found near a polling booth in Jamuria by police. 

A scuffle between TMC and CPI(M) took place at Narayangarh in West Midnapore district when the Left party state secretary and Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra, who is contesting from the constituency faced demonstration by ruling party workers.

Over 70 per cent votes were cast till 3 pm in the second and final phase of polling in 61 Assembly constituencies of Assam on Monday to decide the fate of 525 contestants. 

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, representing Assam in Rajya Sabha since 1991, came from Delhi to cast his ballot at Dispur Government High School here.

Many of the voters stood in queues since 3 am at all the 12,699 polling stations where polling is being held to be among the first five when booths opened at 7 am. The district election administrations will felicitate them with medals to encourage voting.