West Bengal polls: Over 67% voter turnout till 3 pm

Till 3 pm, 67.27 per cent voters cast their votes in North 24-Parganas district while the corresponding figure in Howrah was 67.31 per cent. Overall, 67.28 per cent voter turnout was recorded for 49 seats in the two districts after polling began at 7 am, officials said. 

In North 24-Parganas district, Barrackpore Police Commissioner Niraj Singh told PTI that so far at least 231 persons had been arrested in different poll-related incidents like violation of Section 144, intimidation of voters or booth jamming. 

In Howrah, police commissioner DP Singh said there had been no arrests so far but a complaint was lodged against BJP leader Roopa Ganguly who was caught on TV cameras pushing a lady outside a booth at Bamangachi. 

She was also seen entering booths, talking to voters and even got involved in heated exchange of words with polling personnel and alleged that Trinamool workers were jamming booth. 

Ganguly, who had shot to fame as the ‘Draupadi’ of ‘Mahabharat’ TV series on Doordarshan, is fighting from Howrah North seat. Trinamool candidate and cricketer Laxmi Ratan Shukla has also lodged a complaint against his co-contestant with the Election Commission. 

In Dum Dum North constituency, CPI(M) candidate Tanmay Bhattacharya suffered injuries on his hand after stones were hurled at his car. Four persons were arrested and an FIR has been filed against seven persons, Singh said.