Braving heat and Covid-19, people came out in large numbers to exercise their franchise recording 16.04 per cent of polling in the first hours in the last phase where 35 constituencies spanning across four districts went to polls on Thursday.

According to the data released by the commission though Malda and Murdshidabad recorded high polling, North Kolkata and Birbhum recorded a low voter turnout till 9 a.m. Malda where six constituencies are going for the polls recorded 18.97 per cent polling followed by Murshidabad where 18.86 per cent of polling was recorded from the 11 constituencies in the fray. Kolkata North where there are seven constituencies recorded a polling of only 12.89 per cent and 13.44 per cent of polling was recorded in the 11 constituencies of Birbhum.