The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections was disrupted by EVM glitches and overnight violence in several districts. Polling was halted or delayed at multiple booths due to malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines. Incidents of violence were reported in Murshidabad and Cooch Behar, with political parties trading accusations.
The BJP has nominated the mother of a victim in the RG Kar case from Panihati constituency for the upcoming West Bengal elections, aiming to leverage public outrage over the incident. This move is part of a broader strategy to challenge the ruling TMC by highlighting issues of women's safety and governance.
Thousands of West Bengal residents whose names were deleted from electoral rolls are awaiting decisions from tribunals, the final recourse after initial appeals were rejected. The fate of around 2.3 million people hinges on these adjudications, raising concerns about voting rights and citizenship.
The Election Commission has intensified preparations for the West Bengal Assembly elections by reshuffling senior officers and deploying IAS and IPS officers in key poll management roles.
Track the 2026 assembly election results for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Puducherry, and Kerala with live vote counting updates, candidate leads, and interactive doughnut graphs. Stay informed with real?time numbers, trends, and comprehensive state?wise coverage.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has accused the TMC government of turning Kolkata into a 'city of slums' and using infiltrators as a vote bank, sparking a strong reaction from the TMC, which accused him of insulting the people of Bengal.
The Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, has stated that the primary goal of the Election Commission is to ensure all voters in West Bengal can participate in the upcoming assembly elections without violence or intimidation.
In West Bengal's electoral chessboard, governments are rarely made in the hills of North Bengal or the forested region of Jangalmahal. Power is usually decided in the crowded plains of South Bengal, where elections are won less by momentum and more by mathematics.
The TMC has refuted Prime Minister Modi's claim that high voter turnout in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls indicates a mandate for change, asserting it reflects support for Mamata Banerjee and her government's development agenda.
A special court in Delhi has remanded I-PAC co-founder Vinesh Chandel to ten days of ED custody following his arrest in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in West Bengal.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of protecting infiltrators and alleged her associate wants to build a Babri Masjid in the state.
The INDIA bloc faces challenges after recent state election defeats for key members like TMC and DMK, potentially shifting internal dynamics and leadership considerations.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, attacking Mamata Banerjee's TMC and promising development if the BJP wins the state elections. He accused Banerjee of appeasement politics and vowed to prevent the construction of a Babri Masjid-like structure in Bengal.
Rahul Gandhi accuses Mamata Banerjee of not directly fighting the BJP, alleging that this indirect approach benefits the ruling party. He also criticised her government's performance on job creation and handling of corruption.
The Election Commission suspended three central armed police force personnel after a video surfaced showing them playing carrom inside a Trinamool Congress office in West Bengal. A departmental inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
The Supreme Court has declined to intervene in a petition concerning the deletion of names from voter lists in West Bengal, directing the petitioners to seek redressal through established appellate tribunals.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested I-PAC co-founder Vinesh Chandel in connection with a money laundering case linked to the coal scam probe in West Bengal, escalating tensions ahead of the state's Assembly elections.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested a Kolkata-based businessman, Kamdar, after conducting searches against him and a Kolkata Police Deputy Commissioner as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged criminal syndicate in West Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee accuses the BJP of importing voters for the Assam elections and plotting similar interference in West Bengal, raising concerns about electoral integrity and potential cultural restrictions.
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.
Women voters in West Bengal appear to be shifting their priorities beyond financial assistance, placing greater emphasis on governance and accountability, according to post-election analysis. This shift may have contributed to the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) losses in the recent assembly election, as the BJP's promises and other factors influenced voter sentiment.
A city court has remanded former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody until May 21 in connection with the alleged municipal recruitment scam. Bose, a Trinamool Congress leader, was arrested after questioning and is accused of concealing information and making contradictory statements.
The announced election schedule for five assemblies reveals fewer phases, a condensed voting period, longer gaps between polling days, and a delayed counting process compared to previous elections.
Legal experts suggest West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should resign following her party's defeat in the assembly elections, or face potential dismissal by the governor.
The Supreme Court declined to initiate an inquiry into alleged voter roll irregularities in West Bengal, stating it would amount to a 'fishing inquiry'. The court's decision came after concerns were raised about the addition of a significant number of voters ahead of the state's Assembly elections.
The campaign for the current election cycle ended on Monday as canvassing for the final phase in West Bengal concluded with a bitter war of words between rival parties over cross-border infiltration, corruption, unemployment and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
After being wrongly deported and labelled as Bangladeshis, migrant workers in West Bengal's Murshidabad are heading to the polls to reclaim their Indian identity and fight for their right to belong.
The Election Commission is preparing to launch the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' lists, potentially covering 22 states and Union Territories with approximately 40 crore electors.
Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed a meeting of newly-elected MLAs of her party and stated she will not resign from her post in the wake of assembly poll results and the Centre can dismiss her.
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of resorting to 'dramabazi' in front of a counting centre. Adhikari claims Banerjee's actions won't change the election outcome and that her exit from power is imminent.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh has accused the BJP of orchestrating blasts in Amritsar and Jalandhar to destabilise Punjab ahead of elections, alleging a connection between the BJP and ISI.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met with Trinamool Congress counting agents in Bhabanipur ahead of the vote count for the assembly election. The meeting aimed to ensure agents are well-prepared and updated on the counting process.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused central forces of attempting to search her car while en route to Kolkata airport, alleging misuse of central machinery by the BJP ahead of state elections.
The TMC has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of presenting a misleading picture of employment and development in West Bengal during his recent rally, alleging that the central government owes the state significant dues.
Despite numerous appeals, only two names have been restored to the West Bengal electoral rolls after 2.7 million deletions, raising concerns about voter access and the functionality of proposed tribunals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced six guarantees for West Bengal if the BJP wins the Assembly polls, criticising the TMC government and promising development and accountability.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the BJP and RSS for undermining the Constitution and accused the TMC of failing to deliver on job creation promises during rallies in West Bengal.
A senior BJP leader has dismissed West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's court appearance as a political gimmick, accusing her of seeking public attention after her party's electoral defeat. Banerjee appeared in court regarding alleged post-poll violence.
The Election Commission has warned against any lapses in maintaining law and order ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, questioning the absence of a Narcotics Advisory Committee in the state and directing strict monitoring of financial transactions.
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