Bengal records 63.11% turnout till 3pm

A voter turnout of 63.11 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in four Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal in the third phase of the general elections on Tuesday, a poll official said.

According to the official, Murshidabad registered the highest voter turnout with 65.40 per cent followed by Maldaha Dakshin (62.90), Jangipur (62.57), and Maldaha Uttar (61.50).

Bhagawangola assembly seat in Murshidabad district, where a bypoll is underway, recorded a turnout of 61.18 per cent till 3pm, the official said.

Altogether 73,37,651 voters, including 36,12,395 women and 154 belonging to the third gender, are eligible to exercise their franchise.

A total of 57 candidates are in the fray in the four constituencies where voting started at 7am and will continue till 6pm.

To ensure free and fair polling, the Election Commission has deployed 334 companies of central forces along with 13,600 state police personnel.