07:38 (IST)
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates
Assam poll results to determine debate around NRC, CAA
The outcome of the poll in Assam could determine the direction of the debate around the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
While there is a view outside Assam that both the CAA and the Supreme Court-mandated exercise of updating the NRC are exclusionary processes, in Assam there is considerable support for the NRC and opposition to the CAA.
07:24 (IST)
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates
Close contest for TMC and BJP in Bengal today
While Mamata Banerjee’s TMC will be hoping to overcome the anti-incumbency factor and come to power for a third consecutive term, the BJP will be trying to build on the big gains it made during the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 in the state.
Exit polls have been divided over the final outcome, with some giving only a thin edge to TMC. However, they all agree on one thing — the contest in Bengal will be close and a victory for either TMC or BJP can be a matter of thin margins.
07:19 (IST)
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates
What is the winning margin?
For West Bengal:
Total seats: 292 (there are 294 seats in total, however, elections in two constituencies were not conducted following the deaths of candidates)
Majority mark: 148
For Assam:
Total seats: 126
Majority mark: 64
07:15 (IST)
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates
Where to check Assembly Election 2021 results for 4 states and 1 UT?
To check the results of the Assembly Elections 2021 and the bye-elections 2021, people can check the ECI Voter Helpline app or the official website results.eci.gov.in. Using the app and web portal, people can check whether a candidate is leading or trailing in their constituency.
Live updates from various counting centres will also be available on Firstpost. Readers can visit Firstpost.com or the Assembly Election Results page to get the latest updates on result trends.
Elections results will also be broadcast live on CNN-News18.
07:14 (IST)
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates
Mamata eyes for third term in Bengal; BJP to give close contest
Polling in West Bengal, held over eight phases in 294 Assembly seats from 27 March to 29 April, saw an intense and often vitriolic campaign by both the ruling TMC and the BJP.
The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC aims to retain its stronghold, with the opposition BJP emerging as the incumbent party’s main challenger in the state.
07:04 (IST)
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates
Vote counting to take place amid COVID-19 surge
The Election Commission of India, which has been criticised for allowing political parties to hold election rallies with little to no regard for COVID-appropriate behaviour, said on Saturday it has taken several measures to limit the threat of the outbreak at its counting centres across the country.
The counting of votes will begin at 8 am on Sunday.
06:50 (IST)
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates
How to check election results online?
All live news and updates of Assembly Elections 2021 can be followed on Firstpost.com website. For the real time coverage of Assembly election news, follow live updates here.
06:46 (IST)
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates
Counting of votes to begin at 8 am today
The counting of votes polled in the states of West Bengal and Assam will start amid tight security and strict COVID-19 protocols on Sunday morning as political parties await the results anxiously.
The counting of postal ballots will begin at 8 am. The votes polled in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be taken up for counting half an hour later. Trends will start trickling in a little after the counting process begins.
Assam and West Bengal Election Results 2021 LATEST Updates: While Mamata's TMC will be hoping to overcome the anti-incumbency factor and come to power for a third consecutive term, the BJP will be trying to build on the big gains it made during the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 in the state.
Polling in West Bengal, held over eight phases in 294 Assembly seats from 27 March to 29 April, saw an intense and often vitriolic campaign by both the ruling TMC and the BJP.
Counting of votes for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly Election and the Assam Assembly Election will begin at 8 am today (Sunday, 2 May).
With COVID-19 cases spiralling out of control across India, the Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for the counting of votes in both states by putting in place measures to ensure strict adherence to health protocols, election officials said.
In Assam, which voted in three phases on 27 March, 1 April and 6 April, a three-tier security apparatus has also been arranged at the 331 counting halls.
At least 292 observers have been appointed and 256 companies of central forces deployed at the 1,113 counting halls spread across 23 districts of West Bengal, which voted in eight phases between 27 March and 29 April.
West Bengal: TMC has an edge, but saffron gains crucial
In Bengal, counting of votes will take place in 292 of the 294 seats only as polling for two seats has been deferred due to the death of the candidates. Elections to two seats — Shamsherganj and Jangipur in Murshidabad district — has been postponed following the death of candidates.
A three-tier security arrangement is in place in West Bengal's counting centres and 256 companies of central forces deployed across 23 districts of the state that voted in a gruelling election marred by violence and vicious personal attacks.
The result will decide whether Mamata Banerjee, who has been in power for 10 years and is arguably fighting the toughest poll of her political career, has been able to thwart the challenge by the battle-hardened election army of the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
The BJP, which had just three seats in the 294-member Assembly after the polls and went to win 18 out of 42 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, had pulled out all the stops in the state in a determined bid to oust Banerjee, a vocal critic of Prime Minister Modi, and add another state to its tally of 17.
The Left-Congress alliance is the third main contestant in the state.
Exit polls data released on 29 April after the conclusion of the eighth and final phase of polls had predicted a tight contest between the ruling All India Trinamool Congress and the BJP in the state of West Bengal with the BJP making strong gains both in terms of vote share and seats.
As far as the Congress, Left and ISF alliance is concerned, the grouping, according to pollsters is unlikely to win more than 21 seats.
However, considering exit polls are often wrong, who will get the magic figure of 147 in the house of 294 will be known only after the votes are counted on Sunday.
Assam: Tight contest likely
In Assam, an 82.04 percent voter turnout was recorded in the three-phase elections to 126 assembly constituencies. Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, Nitin Khade said that participation of women in the polling was "remarkable" with 80.63 percent of the total women voters exercising their franchise.
The ruling BJP is facing a challenge from 'Mahajoth' or 'Grand Alliance' comprising the Congress, AIUDF, Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF), CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM).
The BJP has an alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP),
However, the BJP on Friday exuded confidence of returning to power in Assam for a second straight tenure, making a projection of bagging 83 Assembly seats along with its alliance partners, the AGP and UPPL.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, state BJP president Ranjit Kumar Dass had said the saffron party is set to win 70 seats, while the AGP is likely to emerge victorious in eight seats and the UPPL in five.
"BJP is on course to form government in the state for the second time with the blessings of the people, Dass said.
Among 21 constituencies, the party has expressed "doubts" about winning, he said the BJP is likely to be victorious in at least three seats. "In the previous elections, our constituency-wise calculations were accurate, and we are hopeful that we will be correct this time, too," he said.
Pollsters too have predicted the BJP to return to power in the northeastern state, while the Opposition Congress is predicted to fall short of the majority mark.
Assam has a total of 126 seats. A party needs at least 64 seats to be able to form government in the state.
The saffron party had scripted history by winning the traditionally Congress-dominated state in 2016, after remaining on the fringes.
Counting to be held amid tight security, COVID guidelines
With India facing a second wave of COVID-19, counting of votes will take place amidst strict COVID-19 rules.
No candidates or their agents will be allowed inside the counting halls without a negative coronavirus report, according to the latest result-day guidelines issued by the Election Commission.
All the EVMs and VVPATs at the counting centres will be sanitised before the commencement of the process.
"Masks, face shields and sanitiser will be kept outside the centres for those involved in the exercise. At least 15 rounds of sanitisation will be done at each centre during the process. We have made a special arrangement for this," an election official told PTI.
The poll panel has decided to place tables in the counting hall in such a way so that social distancing norms are maintained. "Not more than seven tables, instead of 14, will be allowed in a counting hall. More tables will be placed where we do not have any space constraint," he said.
Besides, Assam and West Bengal, counting of votes will also take place in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Pollsters have predicted the Congress-DMK alliance to form the next govt in Tamil Nadu, whereas the ruling LDF alliance is predicted to return for a second term. In Puducherry, the BJP was predicted to be in the lead.
With inputs from PTI
May 02, 2021 at 07:36AM
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