635 complaints, 41% turnout by 11 am as Bengal polling sees isolated tension

Polling in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections on Thursday saw brisk voter participation alongside sporadic tension, with 635 complaints registered with the Election Commission of India (ECI) by 11 am.

Of the total complaints, 260 were submitted physically at the office of the chief electoral officer, while 375 were lodged through the C-Vigil app. Sources said most complaints pertained to allegations of violence and electoral malpractices.

Despite these issues, voter turnout remained steady in the early hours. In the first four hours of polling across 152 constituencies in 16 districts, the average turnout stood at 41.11 per cent. District-wise, Jhargram district recorded the highest polling at 43.71 per cent, while Cooch Behar district reported the lowest at 38.67 per cent.

A tragic incident was reported from the Keshpur assembly constituency in West Midnapore district, where a voter, identified as Isratan Biwi, died after falling ill inside a polling booth shortly after arriving to cast her vote.

Tension flared briefly in the Barwan assembly constituency in Murshidabad district after allegations surfaced that votes cast for the ruling All India Trinamool Congress were being registered in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party due to an alleged EVM malfunction. Polling was halted temporarily but later resumed following intervention by general observer Ujjwal Singh and security personnel. Singh termed the allegation “impossible” but said the matter would be examined.

Fresh tension was also reported from the Naoda constituency in Murshidabad, where the convoy of Humayun Kabir — a former Trinamool Congress MLA now contesting under his own party — was allegedly attacked by ruling party supporters near Shibnagar. The situation was quickly brought under control with the intervention of Central Armed Police Forces.

Amid these scattered incidents, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, contesting from the Berhampur assembly constituency, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the polls so far. He noted that large-scale violence, voter intimidation, and eviction of opposition polling agents — issues that had marred previous elections — were largely absent till midday, calling the ECI’s role “commendable”.

Meanwhile, leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari expressed confidence in his party’s prospects, claiming the BJP could win up to 125 of the 152 seats going to polls in this phase.

The remaining 142 constituencies will vote in the second phase on 29 April, with counting scheduled for 4 May.

With IANS inputs