Shedding their fears, the people of the three districts of the Jangalmahal — Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore — which were till recently Maoist strongholds, voted zealously till the early hours, pushing the average poll percentage to beyond 86 per cent.
The official closing time of the polling was 5 pm. Long queues were still outside the booths and it was believed that like in the past the polling would stretch till 10 or 11 pm. However, belying all estimates, polling continued much beyond midnight.
According to state election commission secretary Tapas Roy, Bankura registered around 86 per cent, Purulia around 87 per cent and West Midnapore 86 per cent voter turnout. In Purulia polling in many booths stretched upto 3.30 am. The delay was caused both by the huge voter turnout and the fact that each had to cast three different votes for three candidates of zila parishad, panchayat samiti and gram panchayat.
The old ballot papers are being used instead of EVMs in the ongoing panchayat polls.
Meanwhile, the SEC ordered repoll in four booths.
After receiving complaints of electoral irregularities, the SEC ordered repoll in a booth in Saltora in Bankura and three booths (175, 178 and 179) in Sabang in West Mindapore.