Record 84.11 per cent turnout in Bengal polls

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There was record 84.11 per cent turnout in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, officials said on Tuesday.

Polling was held in 54 constituencies in six districts on Monday. The turnout surpassed the previous best of 82.77 per cent polling in the 2006 assembly poll.

Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Kumar Gupta had said the polling percentage was 74.22 per cent after the elections ended on Monday. "The turnout figure is provisional and it is likely to go up," he had added.

The final figure after late night counting took the figure up to 84.11 per cent. South Dinajpur tops the list recording 89.35 per cent votes, followed by Jalpaiguri with 86.72 per cent. Besides, Cooch Behar recorded 85.72 percent, Malda 82.50 per cent, North Dinajpur 81.10 per cent and Darjeeling 78.90 per cent.

Enthusiasm was high as first time voters and old timers voted in strength to choose their representatives from among 364 candidates in the six districts that has over 97 lakh eligible voters.

The next polling dates are April 23 (50 constituencies), April 27 (75), May 3 (63), May 7 (38) and May 10 (14). The votes will be counted May 13.