Amid repeated clashes and accusations between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), West Bengal has recorded a 40.73 per cent voter turnout percentage till 1 pm in the first phase of state assembly elections.
Meanwhile, a TMC delegation met Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata on Saturday.
Speaking to the media, TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said, "BJP had submitted a memorandum requesting to change the system of appointing booth agents wherein he must be a voter of the concerned booth and allow anybody at any booth."
Bandyopadhyay added that the new system is not acceptable to the party and thus they have demanded that from the next phase the polling agent must be local of the concerned polling booth. "CEO has assured us to look into the matter," he added.
The Jhargram district is leading the voter turnout among all districts while Dantan has recorded the highest turnout among the constituencies, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Polling for the first of the eight-phase assembly polls in West Bengal began at 7 am on Saturday with voters 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.
The Election Commission (EC) has made adequate arrangements and taken precautionary measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, BJP and the Congress-Left alliance in the fray.
