KMC polls: Sporadic violence mars polls, voter turnout 63 pc

Kolkata: Sporadic incidents of violence including hurling of bombs at two booths and skirmishes between political workers marred an otherwise humdrum polling to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) as 63.63 per cent of the nearly 40.5 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm on Sunday, when voting ended. While the State Election Commission and the police described the elections as “peaceful”, the opposition BJP demanded cancellation of the “violence-marred polls”.

Two incidents of hurling of crude bombs were reported in Kolkata’s Sealdah and Khanna areas. Police contingents were rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control.

“A total of 63.63 per cent of total votes were polled till 5 PM. Polling has by and large been peaceful barring a few incidents,” State Election Commissioner Sourav Das said.

The final voter turnout will be available on Monday as there were still people in queue to vote at 5 PM when the polls ended, SEC officials said.

Although the SEC claimed that only one person was injured, police said three people were injured in the bomb attacks, one of them losing a leg. Police said that 72 people had been arrested for disturbing the peace during the polling period. –(PTI)