Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata: Voting for the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections continued across 142 seats in eight districts, with polling reaching 78.68 percent by 3 PM. The phase witnessed a strong voter turnout despite reports of EVM tampering, clashes and disturbances from several constituencies.
Turnout Figures Released
According to Election Commission data, Purba Bardhaman recorded the highest turnout at 83.11 percent, followed by Hooghly with 80.77 percent. Earlier, turnout stood at 61.11 percent by 1 PM and 39.97 percent by 11 AM.
Incidents Reported During Voting
Multiple areas reported allegations of EVM malfunction, physical clashes, slogan shouting and local tension. Despite these incidents, polling continued under tight security arrangements.
District-Wise Voting Trend
By earlier updates, Hooghly recorded 43.12 percent turnout, Nadia 40.34 percent, Howrah 39.45 percent, North 24 Parganas 38.43 percent, Kolkata North 38.39 percent and South 24 Parganas 37.92 percent.
Large Electorate in Key Battleground
More than 3.21 crore voters are eligible in this phase, including over 1.64 crore men, 1.57 crore women and 792 third-gender voters. The seats are spread across North Kolkata, South Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Nadia, Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman.
High-Profile Contests Underway
The spotlight remains on Bhabanipur, where Mamata Banerjee is facing Suvendu Adhikari. Several heavyweight candidates from both TMC and BJP are also in the fray across major urban and suburban constituencies.
