Despite surge in coronavirus cases in West Bengal, the voter turnout was up to 79.09 percent on Thursday, as per data displayed by the Election Commission of India. The sixth phase of polls was held in the midst of an unprecedented Covid-19 surge.
West Bengal registered its highest-ever single-day spike, with 9,819 people testing positive. A total of 2.95 lakh Covid cases 2,023 deaths were recorded in the country in the last 24 hours.
Elections for 43 Assembly seats began at 7 a.m., with 17 in the North 24 Parganas district, nine in Nadia and Uttar Dinajpur, and eight in Purba Bardhaman.
Matuas constitute a sizable proportion of the state’s scheduled caste population. With an estimated three million members, the community has sway over the outcome of 30-40 assembly seats in the districts of Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas.
On Thursday, the sixth phase of the West Bengal Assembly election, which covered 43 seats, was marred by few disturbances by people trying to attack and stop the voting process.
