Polls were held for 63 Assembly Constituencies spread over four district covering East Midnapur, Howrah, Hoogly and parts of Burdwan districts.
Deputy Election Commission Vinod Zutshi told media in New Delhi that the polling was totally peaceful. He said, four cases of poll- boycott by the local people have also been reported as they registered their protest against negligence in development works.
The Additional Chief Electoral officer N. K. Sahana said in Kolkata that 171 electronic voting machines were replaced from various polling booths due to technical snag. Two presiding officers and two polling officers were removed from duties for violation of model code of conduct and for illness. Boycott of votes were also reported from three polling booths in Howrah and Burdwan on local issues. Police also made 69 preventive arrests.
The EC had put chief electoral officers of Bihar and Orissa as special observers, over and above the general observers and expenditure observers to monitor the polls. People boycotted polling in four polling stations on developmental issues and the commission has removed two presiding officers following complaints from observers, Mr Zutshi said.