73.97 per cent votes cast in WB TILL 5 PM

A total 73.97 per cent of the 1,16,91,889-strong electorate cast their votes in seven parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal till 5 pm in the fifth phase on Monday, an Election Commission official said.

Polling was largely peaceful barring some stray incidents in which at least 12 people, including five journalists were injured in clashes between TMC and BJP workers at different places, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Ariz Aftab told reporters.

Till 5 pm, the highest polling had taken place in Uluberia with 77.57 per cent, Bongaon(SC) 76.18 per cent, Hooghly recording 76.14 per cent, Arambagh (SC) 75.73 per cent, Sreerampore 73.31 per cent, Barrackpore 71.28 per cent and Howrah 67.59 per cent, Aftab said.

The fate of 83 contestants were decided by the electorate.

Incidents of hurling of bombs, injury of a candidate due to lathi charge by central forces, EVM damage besides, manhandling of a contestant and beating up of a polling agent were also reported.

The incidents were reported from Bangaon(SC), Barrackpore, Hooghly and Howrah constituencies, the official said.

"We have taken immediate steps in these places as per requirement," he said.

Five FIRs were lodged, including one against BJP's Barrackpore candidate Arjun Singh and another against its Hooghly candidate Locket Chatterjee.

Out of a total 42 people, 39 were arrested due to preventive measures and remaining three under specific complaints, West Bengal ADG (Law and Order) Siddhi Nath Gupta said.

A scuffle between Barrackpore seat's BJP candidate Arjun Singh and central forces was reported when the former TMC MLA tried to enter a booth following allegations that voters were not being allowed to exercise their franchise there, the official said.

Singh, who was allegedly injured during the scuffle, was later seen chasing "fake voters" in Naihati area.

"Our agents were not allowed inside booths. People were not allowed to vote properly and I went there to have a look. I have the right to enter booths but police stopped me and hit me," Singh told PTI.

Alleging that the police did not do anything to stop rigging in some booths of Barrackpore seat, Singh demanded that polling be stopped and re-polling ordered.

The maximum number of "sensitive" booths in Monday's elections were in Barrackpore seat where TMC sitting MP Dinesh Trivedi has been pitted against Singh, who switched over to the BJP recently after he was denied a ticket by party supremo Mamata Banerjee.

In Howrah's Balitikuri, TMC candidate and former India footballer Prasun Bandyopdhayay was "manhandled" allegedly by central forces when he tried to enter a booth there.

Bandyopadhyay said, "I had gone there to see poll proceedings. There was nothing wrong in it. But the central forces manhandled me for no reason."