West Bengal's first phase of assembly elections witnessed a remarkable voter turnout, signalling a crucial stage in the high-stakes battle between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP.
Voting across 152 constituencies in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections ended at 6 pm on Thursday and electors who reached the polling stations before the scheduled closure would be allowed to exercise their franchise, officials said.
Close to 90 per cent of the 3.60 crore electors turned up to vote till 5 pm. The voter turnout is among the highest in recent electoral history of the state.
Polling in 16 districts began at 7 am on Thursday amid tight security to decide the electoral fate of 1,478 candidates, including 167 women, in 152 constituencies of the 294-strong state assembly.
Long queues outside polling booths reflected strong voter participation in what is being seen as a crucial round in a high-stakes contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP.
The state recorded 89.93 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm, with the Dakshin Dinajpur district leading with 93.12 per cent polling.
Clashes, allegations of intimidation and attacks on candidates, including on two of the BJP, were reported from several constituencies, prompting the Election Commission to seek detailed reports even as it maintained that polling was "largely peaceful".