Senior police officials in West Bengal are visiting police stations to ensure free and fair polling for the upcoming Assembly elections, focusing on maintaining law and order and preventing electoral malpractice.
The LDF has filed a complaint with the Election Commission alleging that UDF candidate Reji Cheriyan engaged in cash-for-vote practices during the Kuttanad Assembly election campaign.
West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday saw a massive voter participation during the ongoing assembly elections, with turnout reaching 89.93 per cent and 82.24 per cent respectively by 5 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a high voter turnout across 152 constituencies, with nearly 90 per cent of electors participating till 5 pm. Polling was conducted amid tight security, with reports of clashes and intimidation in some areas.
A former Trinamool Congress councillor was allegedly assaulted in West Bengal's Howrah district following an altercation, amidst post-election violence.
The TMC and BJP are clashing over Bengal's food culture, with allegations of potential dietary restrictions adding spice to the West Bengal election campaign.
Puducherry witnessed a historic voter turnout of 89.87% in the recent Assembly elections, the highest since 1964. The election saw a contest between the NDA and Congress-led bloc, with other parties also vying for influence. Polling was largely peaceful, with a minor clash reported.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has alleged large-scale irregularities in the West Bengal assembly polls, questioning the counting process and the role of election officials and security forces. He claimed EVMs could be replaced, influencing the election outcome.
Here are glimpses of famous faces who got their fingers inked.
A car belonging to a CPI(M) rebel supporter was partially burnt in Mathamangalam, Kerala, amid post-election violence. The incident follows other attacks, including the burning of a shed owned by a rebel leader and attacks on supporters.
The outcome of the assembly elections will not only determine AIUDF's immediate relevance but could also shape its long-term role in Assam's political landscape.
The Election Commission of India is considering launching the final phase of its special intensive revision of voters' lists in the remaining states and Union territories after the assembly elections conclude.
'Even if they align with the TVK now, I don't think the AIADMK leadership will completely surrender to the dominance of Vijay.'
What lessons opposition parties need to learn post defeat of Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal elections? The election saw spectacular victor of BJP which rose from 3 seats in 2016 to 206 seats in 2026 assembly elections.
West Bengal recorded its highest-ever voter turnout in the 2026 assembly polls since Independence, with a cumulative 92.47 per cent polling in two phases, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.
Political parties in Kerala are making preparations for celebrations as the Assembly election results are set to be announced. Congress and UDF workers are preparing food and cultural programmes, while the BJP is also planning celebrations with laddoos and placards.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of deploying its entire machinery, including Union ministers and NDA-ruled state CMs, to defeat her party in the West Bengal assembly elections. She also criticised the BJP's promises to migrant workers and alleged the misuse of central forces during the polls.
Salem's family members will be managing the campaign for the don, who is currently in high-security Arthur Jail in Mumbai.
Vijay's TVK party is on the verge of forming a government in Tamil Nadu, drawing parallels to NTR's earlier success in Andhra Pradesh. Both achieved electoral success shortly after forming their parties, highlighting the potential for film popularity to translate into political gains.
The commission, however, has not specified how many among these new entrants are first-time voters who have just turned 18, nor has it given a detailed gender break up of these voters.
BJP's Panihati candidate Ratna Debnath faced protests by TMC workers when she visited a booth in the assembly constituency in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district where polling was underway. She also accused the ruling party activists of preventing her from leaving the booth premises, following an altercation with them over an allegation of influencing voters.
A political controversy has erupted in Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections, with the Congress party accusing BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar of concealing details of a high-value property in his election affidavit. Chandrasekhar has denied the allegations, challenging the Congress to prove their claims in court.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Mamata Banerjee government of favouring infiltrators over the native population, asserting that the upcoming assembly election in West Bengal is a battle to save the state's identity.
The government has dismissed speculation of an imminent increase in petrol and diesel prices, assuring citizens that there are no plans for a hike despite rising crude oil costs.
As industrial plants boost the village's profile, locals demand priority hiring, alongside better storage facilities and water security.
The Vanniyar vote can tip the balance in 70 to 75 assembly constituencies of the 234 in the state, mainly in the Ranipet, Vellore, Thiruppathur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Arani, Villupuram and Kallakurichi districts.
Actor-politician Vijay's TVK party is likely to form the government, bringing focus to their election promises, including gold for marriage, financial assistance for women, and job creation.
Opposition leaders have criticised the alliance between AIMIM and a suspended TMC MLA for the West Bengal Assembly elections, fearing it will divide votes and weaken secular parties.
'Tamil Nadu has 42% of its population in the 18 to 39 age group. The bulk of the population in this age group voted for Vijay and women voters too voted for him in big numbers.'
Over 56 per cent turnout was recorded on Monday in 54 assembly seats, including in Varanasi, in the seventh and last phase of Uttar Pradesh polls, marking the end of the voting process spread over two months in the crucial state.
The Election Commission of India has prohibited the conduct and dissemination of exit polls from April 9 to April 29 during the upcoming assembly elections in several states. Violators face imprisonment or fines.
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya refutes Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claims of the BJP bringing in outsiders to cause trouble, accusing her of desperation ahead of the assembly elections and highlighting alleged failures of the TMC government.
The high-pitched campaign for the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections concluded with the BJP and TMC focusing on electoral rolls and dietary habits, while making promises to voters. Voting is scheduled in 152 constituencies across north Bengal and southern districts, with over 3.60 crore electors eligible to vote. A record number of Central paramilitary forces have been deployed, and several districts have been identified as highly sensitive.
Small parties have the capacity to play both ends against the middle. Puducherry could be heading that way, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported in Howrah and Haroa areas of West Bengal in the run-up to the second phase of polling. Clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters in Howrah, while a police sub-inspector was injured in Haroa during a clash between TMC and ISF supporters.
A new report indicates a rise in 'red alert' constituencies in the West Bengal Assembly elections, with a significant number of candidates facing criminal charges.
Launched in 2024, the TVK has Vijay's shift into politics was not sudden as he had been doing groundwork since 2009, when he launched his fan club, the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam.
Special police observer Ajay Pal Sharma toured West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district during the second phase of Assembly elections, facing political controversy and allegations of intimidation from TMC leaders.
The BJP has criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her a 'symbol of anarchy' after the Supreme Court questioned her actions during an ED search. The party claims her 'jungle raj' will end with the TMC's defeat in the upcoming assembly polls.
Hopefully, the BJP will realise that it's the right time for parivartan (change) in its polarising poll strategies after achieving the impossible-looking goal of winning West Bengal, argues Sheela Bhatt.
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