Date:30/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/30/stories/2008063055681300.htm

National

Polling in 13 municipalities of West Bengal peaceful

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Barring stray incidents of trouble, elections in 13 municipalities spread over 10 districts of West Bengal was largely peaceful on Sunday.

The voter turnout was high and polling continued in some booths well past the stipulated hour, an official of the State Election Commission said. The results are to be announced on Wednesday.

Of the 13 municipalities, eight were under the control of the Left Front.

Political observers are attaching much importance to the outcome of two civic bodies in North 24 Parganas district and one in South 24 Parganas district where the Trinamool Congress was successful in wresting the district panchayat samities (and the zilla parishad in South 24 Parganas) from the Left Front during the recent rural polls.