West Bengal recorded an impressive voter turnout of nearly 82 per cent in six seats and Bihar over 56 per cent in seven seats in the eighth phase of Lok Sabha elections in the two states in eastern India.
One person was killed in police firing outside a booth in Ramnagara village under Bathnaha police station area in Sitamarhi district in Bihar during voting, Additional Director General of Police (Headquarters) Ravindra Kumar said.
The electoral fates of 118 candidates in Bihar including LJP President Ramvilas Paswan from Hajipur and former Bihar chief minister and RJD candidate Rabri Devi from Saran, besides Rajiv Pratap Rudy of BJP from the same seat were sealed in EVMs.
In West Bengal, notable among the 72 nominees were 9 time MP CPI(M)'s Basudeb Acharia, actress Moonmoon Sen of Trinamool Congress from Bankura, singer Babul Suprio of BJP from Asansol and yesteryear actress Sandhya Roy of Trinamool Congress from Midnapore.
West Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Gupta said "On an average, 81.28 per cent of the electors cast their votes till 6 pm in the six constituencies of Jhargram, Midnapore, Purulia, Bankura, Bishnupur and Asansol."
He said that people who were standing in queue before booths after close of polling would also be allowed to vote.
The CPI(M) and other opposition parties alleged rigging and booth capturing, but the CEO said barring some stray incidents the elections were free, fair and peaceful.
He said that many of the complaints were found to be baseless.
