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70% polling in West Bengal

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Press Trust of India Kolkata

The third and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls in 11 of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal today saw a voter turnout of 70 per cent and passed off, by and large, peacefully.  

The fortune of 100 candidates, including that of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata South, former union minister and BJP candidate Tapan Sikdar in Dum Dum and CPI-M candidate Amitava Nandy in the same seat were sealed in EVMs.  

Chief Electoral Officer Debasish Sen said the percentage would go up as long queues were reported in front of many polling booths towards the end of polling hours.  

A CPI-M local leader was shot dead allegedly by Trinamool Congress supporters in Joynagar (SC) Lok Sabha constituency in South 24-Parganas district, while 14 persons were injured in clashes in North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas districts.  

The police said Zainal Mollah was shot at Narayanpur in South 24-Parganas district and succumbed to injuries in hospital. A voter was killed and two others injured when a vehicle carrying polling personnel, ploughed through them at Kalyani in Nadia district, the CEO said.  

Though there was no provision in election rules for payment of compensation, the Commission would ensure expeditious insurance compensation for the victims, he said.

 

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First Published: May 13 2009 | 7:45 PM IST

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