Long queues of people were seen before polling booths on Saturday morning as voting began in 50 constituencies spread over three districts — Murshidabad, Nadia and Birbhum — in the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Spread over three districts in the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
In many booths, women outnumbered men in the queues.
There were no reports of any untoward incident, said an official manning the state police control room in Kolkata.
Over 93 lakh voters in 11,531 polling stations spread over Murshidabad, Nadia and Birbhum districts will elect their representatives out of 293 candidates.
Murshidabad has 22 seats, Nadia 17 and Birbhum 11.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has fielded candidates in 31 seats, while its Left Front partners — Revolutionary Socialist Party, Forward Bloc and Communist Party of India (CPI) — are contesting in nine, five and one seat respectively, leaving three other seats to other minor parties.
The Trinamool Congress is in the race in 29 and the Congress in 21 constituencies. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting in all the 50 constituencies.
Around 5,000 security personnel have been deployed in the three districts to ensure free and fair polls and to prevent any breach of peace.
A record 84.11 per cent turnout was seen April 18 in the first phase of balloting in 54 constituencies of North Bengal. The last four phases of the state's Assembly polls will be held April 27 (75 constituencies), May 3 (63), May 7 (38) and May 10 (14).
The votes will be counted May 13.