West Bengal clocks ‘highest-ever’ turnout since Independence at over 92% as CEC Gyanesh Kumar hails

As many as 142 constituencies went to poll in the second phase. Purba Bardhaman led the districts with 92.46 per cent turnout, followed by Hooghly (90.34 per cent) and Nadia (90.22 per cent), North 24 Parganas (89.74 per cent), South 24 parganas (89.57 per cent), Howrah (89.44 per cent), Kolkata North 87.77 per cent, and Kolkata South (86.11 per cent), Despite the tense atmosphere, no major casualties or large-scale violence were reported, marking a relatively peaceful end to the polling process.

However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) levelled allegations of bias against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and central security forces.

In the first phase held on April 23, polling was conducted across 152 constituencies, primarily covering North Bengal and parts of Central Bengal, recording a historic turnout of 93.19 per cent. The second and final phase on Wednesday saw voting in the remaining 142 seats across eight districts in South Bengal.

The day began with CM Banerjee visiting booths in her home turf of Bhabanipur. She launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing outside observers of “dancing to the tunes of the BJP”.

Speaking to the media, Banerjee said, “People are supposed to cast their votes. Can voting take place like this? It is not the police and the security forces, but the people who will cast their vote,” said Banerjee.

“The ECI is openly harassing and tormenting us. We have sent a contempt of court notice, yet countless outside observers have been brought in here,” she said.

“I could not sleep last night. Midnight raids are being conducted without warrants, and our workers are being detained on fabricated grounds just to stop them from performing their polling duties,” alleged Banerjee.

She further claimed that election observers were ignoring local concerns and working at the behest of the BJP.

Adhikari claims peaceful voting

Meanwhile, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari visited several booths in Bhabanipur and Chakraberia, describing the atmosphere as peaceful. He noted a significant surge in voter participation in Kolkata.

“Generally, Kolkata sees 50-55 per cent polling, but this time it crossed 60 per cent by 1 pm. People are coming out to vote,” Adhikari said. However, he alleged that TMC had attempted to use “outsiders” as proxies in some booths, claiming he personally ensured they were removed.

Tensions flared briefly when TMC supporters chanted “Joy Bangla” slogans as Adhikari passed, prompting a confrontation in which central forces had to intervene with a baton charge.

Sporadic incidents

In Falta, the BJP alleged that TMC workers placed adhesive tape over the names of Opposition candidates on EVM machines. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal stated, “We will evaluate reports of tapes on EVMs. If found true, we will order re-polls in those booths.”

Ratna Debnath, the mother of the R G Kar victim and the BJP candidate from Panihati, alleged her car was attacked by TMC supporters. Similarly, BJP candidate Bikash Sarkar alleged stone-pelting on his vehicle in Basanti.

In Ketugram in East Burdwan, the police recovered crude bombs near a pond just 200 meters from a polling booth. A bomb squad was deployed to neutralise the area. Central forces resorted to a lathi charge in Bhangar after ISF candidate Naushad Siddiqui was mobbed by TMC workers chanting slogans.

In North Dumdum, the BJP alleged their worker, Arpan Pal, was attacked with a blade, while in Khanakul, the ISF claimed its supporters were beaten with bamboo sticks.

In Chinsurah in the Hooghly district, TMC candidate Debangshu Bhattacharya alleged that his campaign office was ransacked. Similarly, both the Forward Bloc and the BJP claimed that their booth camps were attacked and that voter lists were torn up.

An altercation occurred between central forces and TMC supporters when the forces stopped motorbikes near a polling booth in the Rajarhat-Newtown constituency. The TMC alleged that their workers and local voters were intimidated and subjected to baton charges by the central forces in several areas.