Bidhannagar: About 72% polling in 523 booths

KOLKATA: A voter turnout of about 72 per cent was registered in 523 booths of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation till the last report was received on Saturday. Barring a few stray incidents, the civic polls in the BMC areas—where two senior IPS officers were in-charge of the security measures—passed off peacefully.

Total number of voters was 446740, including 221433 male and 225290 female voters. Since the morning, long queues were seen outside the polling booths.

In a few places, BJP candidates alleged false voting but police found no substantial evidence regarding the same.

However, police rounded up 47 persons across the 41 wards of BMC for trying to obstruct the poll process. In the afternoon, the poll process was obstructed at the Hatiara High Madrasah school, where police took prompt action and dispersed the mob that had gathered there. In ward 37, BJP candidate Pramita Saha got involved in a clash with the Trinamool Congress candidate Minu Das Chakraborty. It had been alleged that while Chakraborty was entering the booth, Saha started alleging that Trinamool Congress members were trying to capture the booth. However, when Chakraborty protested Saha allegedly started pushing the Trinamool Congress candidate inside the polling booth. However, the police and polling officer took prompt action and brought the situation under control. Though Saha was alleging about false voters, police found no such people there.Police were seen actively checking all cars entering and leaving Salt Lake. Naka checking was also done in several places on VIP road as well. Senior officials of Bidhannagar Commissionerate were seen visiting the poll booths.

In Hatiara, a senior police officer was seen cautioning those who had gathered there, through public address system installed in the patrolling van.