4 down, 1 to go: Bengal voters get an 82% high

It's still not over, but the ongoing Assembly elections have already made a niche for itself in record books, thanks to the high voter turnout.

It’s still not over, but the ongoing Assembly elections have already made a niche for itself in record books, thanks to the high voter turnout. According to the Election Commission, the average polling in the state in the first four phases crossed the 82-per cent mark.

The highest voter turnout has been seen in the districts that went to poll in the second phase, with around 84 per cent exercising their right, chief electoral officer Debashis Sen said today.

EC figures suggest that of the four phases the lowest voting — around 78 per cent — was seen in the third phase. Kolkata voted in this phase.

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For Burdwan, Birbhum and Murshidabad — which polled in the fourth phase on May 3 —82 per cent voting was recorded, with Murshidabad touching 85 per cent. Sen said scrutiny has been ordered for 2,931 booths, where polling percentage crossed the 80-per cent mark in the fourth phase.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the fifth and final phase, scheduled to take place on May 8. Six districts — Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakhin Dinajpur and Darjeeling — covering 49 constituencies, 306 contestants and over 81 lakh voters will participate in the final phase. The EC has set up 9,089 polling stations for the election, the chief electoral officer said. “Photo electoral-rolls are being introduced for all nine constituencies in Coochbehar,” Sen said.

Security personnel with shields stand guard during a protest by youth against the Nepal government's decision to ban social media sites, in Kathmandu

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