For more on the West Bengal polls, click here
Five persons were killed in two different incidents of firing in Sitalkuchi assembly constituency in West Bengals Cooch Behar district during the fourth phase of poll on Saturday, state chief electoral officer Ariz Aftab said.
He said at least eight persons have been arrested so far in connection with two incidents which took place in separate polling stations at Sitalkuchi during the day, he said.
EC bans entry of politicians in Cooch Behar district ofWestBengalfor next 72 hrs to prevent possible law and order flare up.
A voter turnout of 76.16 per cent was recorded till 5 pm in the fourth phase of West Bengal assembly polls Saturday, amid incidents of violence which prompted the Election Commission to suspend voting at a booth in Sitalkuchi constituency of Cooch Behar.
The Commission said polling was held at 15,940 polling stations spread across 44 assembly constituencies in this phase of polls.
Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday held the Election Commission responsible for the death of four persons in firing by CISF personnel during polling in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district and said the incident was a case of failure of leadership.