Kolkata: About 23 per cent votes were polled in the first three hours of the third and final phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal today, while one person was killed in a clash between rival political party supporters.
''Even as polling in the 11 constituencies is going on by and large peacefully, one person died in a clash at New Town in Rajarhat in the wee hours,'' Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty said.
The clash between rival party supporters erupted around 0330 hrs IST killing one person on the spot, he said, adding the identity of the victim was not yet known.
However, a report from Barasat, quoting police sources, said the victim Saminul Haq (21) was a Trinamool Congress activist. He was killed in a bomb explosion during the clashes, police added.
''Barring the one in Rajarhat, no major incidents were reported from any part of the state, so far. Polling was going on peacefully,'' the Chief Secretary observed.
He informed that more than 100 electronic voting machines were damaged following rain on Tuesday in Mathurapur (SC) constituency in South 24 Parganas district as the electronic voting machines, saying polling would be held there on Thursday.
Meanwhile, a Krishnagar report said nearly 500 voters were on a poll boycott movement at Charjadhubati village in Kanchrapara gram panchayat under Bongaon Parliamentary constituency in Nadia district.
The protestors alleged that there had been no improvement in the condition of roads and water supply.
In all, 1.38 crore voters were expected to press the button on EVMs in a total of 17,136 polling booths to decide the fate of 100 candidates, including, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who is among nine women constestants.
After the first two phases witnessed fight for 31 of the state's 42 seats, put at stake for Wednesday's battle are 11 constituencies spread over Kolkata, South and North 24 Parganas districts.
The constituencies, where polling is being held, are Kolkata South, Kolkata North, Jadavpur, Joynagar(SC), Mathurapur(SC), Diamond Harbour, Bongaon(SC), Barasat, Basirhat, Dum Dum and Barrackpore.
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