Seventy-five per cent of the people had cast their votes till reports last came in, according to Mira Pande, State Election Commissioner.

“A few instances of violence have been reported to the commission. The administration, however, took prompt steps and the situation was brought under control,” Pande added.

Around 16 people have been arrested from various booths in the state on Sunday.

“We have arrested seven persons from the North 24-Parganas, six from the South 24-Parganas and six from North Dinajpur,” said Raj Kanojia, IG, Law and Order, West Bengal Police.

The election is crucial for both the CPM and the Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance as the results will show whether people are still eager for a change as they showed in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

The results will be declared on July 1.

Both Saugata Roy, Union Minister of State for Urban Development and C M Jatua, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, plunged into the poll campaign for the candidates of the Congress-Trinamool alliance.

Booth number 1 in ward 5 in Maheshtala municipality in South 24-Parganas was reportedly ransacked by a group of miscreants.

In the Sarbodyaya Hindi Vidyalaya in ward 7 in the same municipality, the CPM and Trinamool supporters clashed and hurled bombs at each other.

“We have seized seven bombs and a vehicle. Three persons have been detained so far. Around three persons have been injured in the clashes,” said Sushil Chowdhury, Additional SP, South 24-Parganas

In South Dum Dum municipality, incidents of sporadic clashes have been reported in ward 9 and ward 35. Pande, however, said that the commission did not receive any complaints yet.

Polling in the Rajarhat-Gopalpur municipality was peaceful except for a few incidents where police had to resort to mild lathicharge.

The lowest polling has been recorded in Rajarhat-Gopalpur municipality. Around 68 per cent votes have been polled in this municipality.

Congress supporters, meanwhile, demonstrated after the election agent of an Independent candidate of ward no 14 of Sainthia municipality was driven out of a polling station. The Congress had supported the Independent candidate.

Two EVMs had to be replaced with new ones after they developed technical snags in the booth.

According to the Commission, in around five to seven booths in North 24-Parganas, Asansol and Uluberia, EVMs were replaced after they develop technical snags. Pande added that the state election commission is likely to order a re-poll in two booths-one in Matigara in Siliguri and another in ward 5 of the Mahestala Municipality.

Poll violence pre-planned: CPM

Blaming the Congress and Trinamool workers for unleashing violence during the municipal polls, the CPM said the move to disrupt the elections was “pre-planned”.

CPM state committee member and CITU state president Shyamal Chakraborty said: “Wherever elections were held, the Congress-Trinamool supporters attacked us. The Trinamool candidate from ward number 4 in Asansol, Rakhi Mukherjee, was arrested and a gun was recovered from her. How can a candidate possess arms?” In ward number 3 of Asansol, Trinamool candidate S Basu Mullick tried to damage the EVM. When he was prevented, he came back and tried again, Chakraborty added.

“In Maheshtala, the Opposition supporters destroyed the EVM in a booth and at four other booths they forced our polling agents to leave. We have demanded repoll in booths 4, 4A, 5, 5A of Maheshtala,” he said. He added that in ward number 22 of Kutli, Opposition supporters hurled crude bombs to scare away the voters.

“In Dum Dum and South Dum Dum, the Congress-Trinamool brought in goons from areas like Sealdah and Bowbazar. After voting was over, they chased away our people with pistols. The police intervened and several of them were arrested. At another place, Trinamool goons came in Tata Sumo and Qualis and attacked our supporters,” Chakraborty said.

“The Opposition had planned in advance to unleash violence during the polls. They don’t want voters to exercise their franchise,” he added.