Voters queue at Chakoltor primary school under Balaram pur constituency in Purulia District on the first day of first phase assembly Election. (Express Photo by Partha Paul) Voters queue at Chakoltor primary school under Balaram pur constituency in Purulia District on the first day of first phase assembly Election. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

West Bengal and Assam recorded 80 per cent and 78.06 per cent voter turnout respectively on Monday in the first phase of assembly elections, which the Election Commission said was “by and large peaceful”, with no reports of violence-related death or injury.

In Bengal, the scheduled poll timing in 13 of the 18 constituencies identified as Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas was reduced by two hours and closed at 4 p.m. without any report of violence.

“Voting has been peaceful so far. As per the last report (3.30 p.m.) 75.61 percent polling was recorded in all the 18 constituencies. While the scheduled time for closing of polling in 13 constituencies was 4 p.m., voters are still queued up in some of the booths,” said an Election Commission official.

In the 2011 assembly polls, the voter turnout in West Bengal was 83.72 per cent and 75 per cent in Assam. In the Lok Sabha pols of 2014, the figures in these constituencies were 83.39 per cent in West Bengal and 79 in Assam, he said.

In Assam, 65 of the state’s total 126 constituencies went to poll today. In West Bengal, 18 out of 294 constituencies went to polls today in part one of phase one. Part two of phase one will be held on April 11.

Saxena said no deaths or injuries in poll-related violence were reported in the two states.

Responding to questions, he said a total of 16 complaints related to rigging, denial of vote and late start of election were received.

In Assam, 5.27 crore illegal cash was seized upto today in the constituencies which went to polls in the first phase. In West Bengal, the figure stood at 17.36 lakh.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines