West Bengal polls: 71.47 pc recorded till 5 pm

West Bengal on Saturday recorded 71.47 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm during the first phase of Assembly elections.

Among the districts in West Bengal, Bankura recorded the highest voter turnout with 73.68 per cent till 5 pm.

Stray incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the state.

Polling for the first of the eight-phase assembly polls in the state began at 7 am today with voters turning up to deciding the fate of 191 candidates in 30 constituencies.

All constituencies in Purulia, Jhargram and segments of Bankura, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur are going to decide the electoral fate of 191 candidates, including 21 women candidates in the fray. The polling will end at 6.30 pm.

In the first phase, a total of 73,80,942 electorates will cast their votes including 7,52,938 male voters, 36,27,949 female voters, 55 of the third gender and 11,767 service electors.The Election Commission has set up 10,288 polling stations, of which 8,229 are the main and 2,059 are auxiliary.

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

( With inputs from ANI )