Third phase of Bengal polls: 14.62% recorded in three hours

As per Election Commission data, 14.62 per cent polling was recorded in the first hours in the third phase of Bengal polls conducted across 31 assembly constituencies spread over the districts of South 24 Parganas, Hooghly and Howrah. This is around the lines of the voting percentage recorded after the first three hours in both phase 1 and 2. The Hooghly district, with seven constituencies going to poll, recorded the highest percentage of 17.35 per cent, followed by Howrah recording 15.52 per cent polling. The 16 constituencies of South 24 Parganas recorded the lowest voting per cent of 12.81 in the first three hours.

Sporadic instances of violence have been recorded, including from Goghat in Hooghly, where BJP has alleged that a BJP worker's mother was killed by Trinamool goons yesterday night. Trinamool has alleged that the in booths of Sasta, Dagira, Babuldanga and Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas, people were not being allowed to vote. The EC also suspended a section officer Tapan Sarkar in charge of Sector 17 in Uluberia. Three EVMs and four VVPAT machines part of the reserve stock were found at his relative and Trinamool leader Goutam Ghosh's residence.

A total of 78,56,474 voters in these constituencies is eligible to votes across 10,871 polling booths in these constituencies, including 4,049 service voters. 205 candidates from different political parties are competing for the 31 assembly seats.