Phase-4 sees 67.2% turnout; violence mars polling in Andhra, West Bengal

Animesh Singh

New Delhi, May 13

Sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh were reported during the fourth phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections on 96 seats in 10 states/UT on Monday. The voter turnout stood at 67.25 per cent at 8 pm as per tentative figures released by the Election Commission of India (ECI). A total of 1,717 candidates were in the fray in this phase. In a tragic development, a poll officer died while on duty in Telangana.

With the end of polling for the fourth phase, elections are now complete in 23 states and 379 seats. The Assembly polls in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh are also over. The lone seat of Srinagar, which went to the polls on Monday, recorded the lowest turnout in the fourth phase at 37.98 per cent. The ECI said it was the highest turnout in Srinagar in decades. In 2019, it stood at 14.43 per cent.

West Bengal, where polling was held on eight seats, recorded the highest turnout of 78.37 per cent. The Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar turnout was on the lower side at 59.64, per cent, 58.05 per cent and 57.06 per cent, respectively.

All 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh as well as 175 Assembly seats voted simultaneously in the fourth phase. Elections for all 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana were also held.

Besides, polling for Odisha’s 21 Lok Sabha constituencies as well as 147 Assembly seats also commenced with this phase. On Monday, polling was held on four Lok Sabha seats in the state and 28 Assembly seats. Voting for the Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Odisha will be held in four phases till June 1.

Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are among the 23 states where polling is now over with the end of the fourth phase.

Meanwhile, incidents of violence marred the polling in eight seats in West Bengal, which included Baharampur from where Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is contesting, Krishnanagar from where TMC leader Mahua Moitra is in the fray and Asansol from where actor Shatrughan Sinha is trying his luck.

While the ECI claimed that the voting was peaceful, political parties have filed 1,088 complaints of alleged EVM malfunction and regarding agents being stopped from entering booths.

Workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP clashed in some areas of the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency. In Kalna Gate, BJP candidate Dilip Ghosh faced a protest when he was going to a poll booth after receiving some complaints. Trinamool supporters blocked his way and staged a protest, raising “go back” slogans. Stones were also allegedly thrown at the BJP leader’s convoy resulting in damage to some cars.

A group of people threw stones at Ghosh’s car in which a security man was injured in the head. A television channel’s cameraperson was hit on the leg in the incident, reports said.

The authorities on Monday booked BJP candidate for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, K Madhavi Latha, after a video clip surfaced in which she was purportedly asking burqa-clad women Muslim voters to show their faces for verification with their photo identity cards.

Andhra Pradesh CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena asked the police to register cases against those indulging in violence and disrupting the poll process.

The ECI suspended a sub-inspector in Punganuru for letting off those who indulged in violence, sources said.

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from several Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh after polling commenced at 7 am. In a booth at Mandi Krishnapuram in Chittoor district, a YSRCP polling agent was allegedly stabbed.

Bengal leads the charts at 78.37%; plaints of EVM glitches

• As many as 1,717 candidates were in the fray in this phase
• Poll now complete in 23 states
• Assembly poll in Arunachal, Sikkim, Andhra also over
• West Bengal records the highest turnout in Phase-4 at 78.37%
• Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar see 59.64%, 58.05%, 57.06% polling, respectively
• 1,088 complaints of EVM malfunction, agents being stopped from entering booths
• Poll officer dies on duty in Telangana; fifth phase on May 20