07:44 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
Security deployment strengthened following Cooch Behar violence
Security measures have been heightened in view of the violence in the previous phases, particularly the death of five people in Cooch Behar on 10 April, an Election Commission official said.
The poll panel has deployed at least 796 companies of central forces in the seventh phase to ensure free and fair voting, he said. It has also put in place measures to ensure strict adherence to health protocols during the election process, including wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing.
07:42 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
284 candidates in fray in 7th phase
Over 86 lakh voters will decide the political fate of 284 candidates in this phase. Voting is being held at 12,068 polling stations spread over nine assembly constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman districts, six each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda and four in Kolkata, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's home turf Bhabanipore.
07:34 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
Derek O'Brien hits out at conduct of polling across phases despite COVID
TMC MP Derek O'Brien took to Twitter, hitting out at the decision to not club the remaining phases of the West Bengal elections. He pointed out that three candidates lost their lives to COVID and lakhs of voters and poll workers have already been exposed to the virus.
2 phases still to go for polls in Bengal.
— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) April 25, 2021
5 days still remain.
3 candidates dead.
Lakhs of voters and poll workers exposed to Covid.
71 seats.
The two Election Commissioners under the command of the duo MO-SHA have ignored multiple suggestions to club phases. pic.twitter.com/iz1LlxwUBc
07:15 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
Polling in 34 seats begins
Voting commenced in 34 seats in the seventh phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal.
People cast their votes for the seventh phase of #WestBengalElections2021 today. Visuals from Samsi Primary School - designated as booth number 142/142 A - in Ratua constituency of Malda district. pic.twitter.com/IhLUl6j147
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2021
07:08 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
Narendra Modi urges people to follow COVID protocols while voting
Taking to Twitter ahead of the commencement of polling for the seventh phase of elections in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to exercise their franchise while following COVID-19 protocols.
Amid a surge in cases and an Election Commission direction to hold rallies with less than 500 people in attendance, Modi had cancelled his public address in West Bengal on 23 April.
The seventh phase of the West Bengal elections takes place today. Urging people to exercise their franchise and follow all COVID-19 related protocols.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 26, 2021
06:47 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
Parties cancel rallies amid COVID surge
Following the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, the EC has banned road shows and vehicle rallies in the state with immediate effect. It also noted that COVID safety norms were being flouted in West Bengal during campaigning.
It also disallowed any public meeting with more than 500 people.
Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is the party MP, cancelled all their scheduled rallies and held them on the virtual platform as did Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23 April.
06:44 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
All eyes on Bhabanipore Assembly seat in 7th phase
The focus in this phase of polling will be on seats in the southern part of the city, mainly Bhabanipore which is the stronghold of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She nominated one of her senior most party leaders Sovandeb Chattopadhyay from Bhabanipore. BJP has fielded actor-turned-politician Rudranil Ghosh from the seat.
From Rashbehari the saffron party has named Lt Gen (Dr) Subrata Saha against TMC's Debasish Kumar. The state minister and city mayor Firhad Hakim will test his luck from Kolkata Port constituency where he will lock horns with BJP's Awadh Kishore Gupta and Congress' Mohammed Mukhtar.
06:43 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
Polling declared void in two constituencies
Polling for two Assembly seats in Samserganj and Jangipur has been declared void following the deaths of two candidates there.
The Election Commission has fixed 16 May for the polling in these two seats.
06:41 (IST)
West Bengal Election LATEST Updates
Voting to be held across 34 seats in 5 districts
The seventh phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly election will be held today (26 April) amid tight security arrangements and COVID-19 safety protocols.
A total of 86,78,221 voters — 44,44,634 male and 42,33,358 women and 229 from the third gender — are eligible to exercise their franchise in the 34 constituencies spread across Malda (Part I), Kolkata Dakshin, Murshidabad (Part I), Paschim Bardhaman (Part 1) and Dakshin Dinajpur districts.
West Bengal election phase 7 voting LATEST News and Updates: The seventh phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly election will be held tomorrow (26 April) amid tight security arrangements and COVID-19 safety protocols.
A total of 86,78,221 voters — 44,44,634 male and 42,33,358 women and 229 from the third gender — are eligible to exercise their franchise in the 34 constituencies spread across Malda (Part I), Kolkata Dakshin, Murshidabad (Part I), Paschim Bardhaman (Part 1) and Dakshin Dinajpur districts.
Polling will be held between 7 am to 6.30 pm as in other phases at 12,068 polling stations in nine Assembly constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman districts, six each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda districts four in Kolkata Dakshin.
Polling for two Assembly seats in Samserganj and Jangipur has been declared void following the deaths of two candidates there.
The Election Commission has fixed 16 May for the polling in these two seats.
Key candidates
The focus in this phase of polling will be on seats in the southern part of the city, mainly Bhabanipore which is the stronghold of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
While the fiery Banerjee has contested from Nandigram this time, she nominated one of her senior most party leaders Sovandeb Chattopadhyay from Bhabanipore. BJP has fielded actor-turned-politician Rudranil Ghosh from the seat.
From Rashbehari the saffron party has named Lt Gen (Dr) Subrata Saha against TMC's Debasish Kumar. The state minister and city mayor Firhad Hakim will test his luck from Kolkata Port constituency where he will lock horns with BJP's Awadh Kishore Gupta and Congress' Mohammed Mukhtar.
Focus will also be on polling at Balurghat, Malda, Chanchal, Harishchandrapur as well as in Lalgola, Murshidabad and Farakka seats.
Following the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, the EC has banned road shows and vehicle rallies in the state with immediate effect. It also noted that COVID safety norms were being flouted in West Bengal during campaigning.
It also disallowed any public meeting with more than 500 people.
Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is the party MP, cancelled all their scheduled rallies and held them on the virtual platform as did Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23 April.
During the physical campaign rallies rivals TMC and BJP hit out at each other.
The BJP leaders in their campaigns attacked Banerjee, her nephew Abhishek alleging involvement of party leaders in the Saradha and Narada tapes scams to the recent allegations of siphoning of funds allocated for Amphan cyclone and the COVID-19 pandemic relief.
The BJP leaders maintained that corruption and anarchy are prevalent in West Bengal and that the party will put an end to it after coming to power in the state.
Top BJP leaders such as Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, party president JP Nadda, Smriti Irani held several rallies and public meetings in different parts of the Assembly constituencies for this phase of poll.
With inputs from PTI
April 26, 2021 at 07:11AM
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