64% vote in 4th leg; case against Supriyo

At least 63.62% voters turned up at polling stations as 72 constituencies in nine states went to the polls in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Monday.

Umesh Sinha, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, however, said the percentage would go up when the final reports come in. The Lok Sabha constituencies, which went to the polls in the fourth phase, had registered an average turnout of 63.05% in 2014, Sinha told reporters.

The BJP had high stakes on the fourth phase as it had won 56 of the 72 constituencies that went to polls on Monday.

Though polling was more or less peaceful in most states, several persons were injured in political clashes at Nanoor, Rampurhat, Nalhati and Siuri areas of Birbhum Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal. Security personnel had to open fire in air to disperse a mob that wanted to enter a polling station at Dubrajpur in Birbhum. Three persons were injured when bomb was hurled near a polling station in Ranaghat Lok Sabha constituency in the state.

A complaint was registered in a police station at Asansol in West Bengal against Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Babul Supriyo, after he forcibly entered a polling station with his security guard, shoving off the paramilitary soldier who wanted to stop him, Sudeep Jain, Deputy Election Commissioner, said.

Supriyo, a celebrity singer, is BJP’s candidate in Asansol. He is seeking re-election from the constituency and is being challenged by Trinamool Congress’ Moonmoon Sen. His car was also vandalised, allegedly by the activists of the Trinamool Congress. Jain said that a complaint was also registered against unknown persons for damaging his car.

A case was filed against BJP workers in Kanpur in UP after they allegedly tried to storm a polling station.