Bengal polls phase-1: 78.77% voter turnout till 3 pm amid sporadic violence

The first phase of the West Bengal elections recorded a voter turnout of nearly seventy-nine percent till 3 pm. Districts including Dakshin Dinajpur, Paschim Medinipur, and Murshidabad witnessed over eighty percent polling. Voters, particularly women and senior citizens, queued up early in the morning and continued to cast their ballots in large numbers despite heatwaves and humid conditions. To ensure security, the Election Commission deployed three hundred and sixteen companies of paramilitary forces in Murshidabad alone, which acted as a deterrent against widespread unrest. However, incidents of violence were reported across various constituencies. The convoy of a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate in Asansol was attacked, while another candidate faced multiple attacks and protests from rival party supporters in Murshidabad. The Election Commission has sought reports regarding the violent disruptions as polling continues across the state.