Bengal Assembly polls: Derek writes to EC, flags 'discrepancy' in voter turnout data

Flagging 'discrepancy' in voter turnout data, All India Trinamool Congress' parliamentary party leader, Derek O'Brien on Saturday wrote a letter to the Election Commission of India.

"Voter turnout for ACs Kanthi Dakshin (216) and Kanthi Uttar (213) at 9:13 am was 18.47 per cent and 18.95 per cent respectively, 4 minutes later at 9:17 am voter turnout reduced to 10.60 per cent and 9:40 per cent. Such discrepancy raises a question on the genuineness of data issued by EC," he stated.

A delegation of Trinamool Congress (TMC) is set to meet the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) at 12 noon on Saturday to raise 'some serious concerns', as polling for the first phase of state assembly elections is underway.

Taking to Twitter, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) questioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) on how the voting percentage reduced drastically to half within five minutes.

"What is happening @ECISVEEP?! Could you explain how voting percentage drastically reduced to half within a gap of just 5 minutes?! Shocking! @CEOWestBengal, please look into this urgently!" AITC tweeted.

Meanwhile, the voter turnout for the first phase for polling in West Bengal stood at 15.30 per cent as of 10:19 am on Saturday.

Hours before the first phase of polling began today, the Purba Medinipur district witnessed violence as bombing and firing took place in the Satsatmal village at the Argoal gram panchayat in Bhagabanpur Assembly constituency, injuring two security personnel.

BJP candidate from Paschim Medinipur Samit Das also accused the TMC of creating a disturbance in the rural areas of the district.

In the first phase of West Bengal elections, 30 seats covering all assembly constituencies from the districts of Purulia and Jhargram and a segment of Bankura, Purba Medinipur, and Paschim Medinipur are going for polls.

The first phase of polling will decide the electoral fate of 191 candidates, including 21 women. The polling will conclude at 6:30 pm.

The state is witnessing a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the fray.

( With inputs from ANI )