Stray incidents of violence were reported today from several areas where voting is underway for the eighth and last phase of assembly elections in Bengal, but the overall polling process has been peaceful with 75.7 per cent turnout till 5 pm, Election Commission officials said.
Voting is being held in 11,860 polling stations of 35 constituencies -- 11 each in Murshidabad and Birbhum, six in Malda and seven in north Kolkata.
One person was killed and two others injured as a car hit them in Murshidabad district, hours before the polling exercise began, triggering tension in the area, a police officer said earlier in the day.
BJP candidate Meena Devi Purohit alleged that the bombs were thrown at her vehicle while she was touring different polling booths.
A huge police contingent was rushed to the spot to control the situation.
Long queues were seen outside most polling booths since early morning, raising concern over the spread of COVID-19, even as the Election Commission gave assurance that all precautionary measures are in place.
Bengal registered its highest single-day spike of 17,207 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, while 77 more people succumbed to the disease.
Over 84.77 lakh voters will decide the political fate of 283 candidates in this phase.
The eight-phase elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly began on March 27. Votes will be counted on Sunday.
