Bengal civic polls: Stray violence marks first half, voter turnout 44% till 1 pm

While polling remained peaceful overall, sporadic poll- related violence cases were reported from Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. At several places there were clashes between the supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP and Left Front. Most of the complaints came from wards 10, 17,31 and 37.

Kolkata:Barring stray incidences of scattered violence, polling remained peaceful overall in the first half of the polls for four municipal corporations in West Bengal on Saturday.

Voting took place in Bidhannagar, Chandernagar, Asansol and Siliguri municipal corporations today scheduled between 7 am till 5 pm. Till 1 PM on Saturday, the average polling percentage in the four municipal corporations was 44.71 percent. Asansol Municipal Corporation recorded the maximum polling percentage till that time at 46.6 percent, followed by Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation at 45.5 percent, Siliguri Municipal Corporation at 45.01 percent, and Chandernagor Municipal Corporation at 41.74 percent.

While polling remained peaceful overall, sporadic poll-related violence cases were reported from Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. At several places, there were clashes between the supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP and Left Front. Most of the complaints came from wards 10, 17,31, and 37.

There were complaints of violence from Asansol Municipal Corporation as well. The West Bengal Election Commission, after receiving a complaint that one of the opposition candidates had been severely injured in clashes, sought a detailed report on this matter. Tension also rose in the area after BJP leader, Jitendra Tiwari visited a polling booth and engaged in altercations with the ruling Trinamool Congress workers.