The Election Commission has deployed 432 counting observers across all 294 assembly constituencies in West Bengal to ensure transparent and smooth counting of votes. Several districts have been assigned additional observers in view of their sensitivity and electoral significance. Enforcement agencies have carried out extensive seizure drives during the election period to curb illegal inducements, with total seizures valued at approximately Rs 561 crore.
Commuters in Kolkata and surrounding areas are experiencing significant difficulties due to a shortage of buses, as many vehicles remain engaged in election duties related to the West Bengal polls. Normal service is not expected to resume until after the counting process on May 4.
In West Bengal's assembly elections, fish has become a potent symbol of Bengali identity, with the Trinamool Congress and BJP clashing over food habits and cultural representation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised to end 'goonda raj' and 'syndicate raj' in West Bengal if the BJP wins the state elections. He also pledged to identify and take action against infiltrators and stop cattle smuggling.
The first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections saw a record voter turnout of 91.78 per cent, the highest since Independence, according to the Chief Election Commissioner. Polling took place in 16 districts with women voters outnumbering men. The Election Commission attributed the high turnout to voter-friendly measures.
Apart from Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, the Barasat MP, those attending the meeting included TMC MLAs Anisur Rahaman Biswas of Deganga, Bina Mondal of Swarupnagar, Mohammad Abdul Matin of Haroa and three more legislators from the Basirhat subdivision of North 24 Parganas district.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has stated that his government has no information regarding alleged post-poll violence, as claimed by the opposition TMC. He assured that action would be taken after verifying any such charges. The statement came in response to allegations raised in the West Bengal assembly by Leader of the Opposition Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay.
The NIA has filed chargesheets against 31 individuals in connection with road blockades and illegal detention of judicial officers in West Bengal's Malda district.
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.
In a significant move before the West Bengal assembly elections, the Election Commission has ordered a major reshuffle of the state's police force, transferring 19 senior officers to ensure fair and secure elections.
The murder of a close aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in West Bengal has ignited post-election violence, raising concerns about political stability and the transition of power.
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.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising jobs for youths and an 'infiltrator-free' state if the BJP wins the assembly elections. He also pledged to restore industrial glory, end syndicate raj, and ensure women's safety.
The West Bengal State Legislative Assembly has been dissolved by Governor R N Ravi, marking the end of its term after the recent elections where the Trinamool Congress was defeated by the BJP.
BJP workers celebrated in West Bengal as the party took an early lead in the state assembly elections, raising slogans and exchanging sweets.
Three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MPs, including Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and, within hours, were named the saffron party's candidates for the Rajya Sabha bypolls from West Bengal, underlining both their political rehabilitation and the party's calibrated shift in inducting leaders from the erstwhile ruling dispensation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed BJP leaders to intensify grassroots outreach in West Bengal, setting performance benchmarks for the upcoming state elections. He emphasized party unity and the importance of booth-level workers.
The Election Commission reports that poll-related seizures, including cash, drugs, and liquor intended to sway voters, have surpassed Rs 1000 crore in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
The West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has announced the implementation of several key administrative and policy measures, including the adoption of the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, land transfer to the BSF for border fencing, and the implementation of the BNS criminal law.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Jangipur, West Bengal, promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and addressing concerns about infiltration and demographic changes in the state.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has voiced his support for the TMC and DMK after their losses in recent assembly elections, while criticising the Congress party.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted the BJP had sealed its victory in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly polls itself, claiming the party would win 110 seats in the polling held on April 23. Addressing an election rally, he promised swift implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), particularly for the Matua community, once the BJP came to power in the state.
Exit polls predict a BJP victory in Assam and an edge in West Bengal, a DMK government in Tamil Nadu, and a Congress-led UDF comeback in Kerala.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised one lakh jobs for youths each year based on merit if the BJP won the West Bengal election, and also pledged to make the state free of infiltrators.
The counting of votes for all 824 seats across four states and one Union Territory will be held on May 4.
A Calcutta High Court judge, Gaurang Kant, disclosed that his elder brother is a national spokesperson for the BJP while hearing Mamata Banerjee's petition challenging the Bhabanipur assembly seat poll result. Despite the disclosure, Banerjee's lawyer expressed full confidence in the judge.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, promising to resolve the Gorkha issue constitutionally and offering a development package for north Bengal if the BJP is voted to power.
A significant 7.87 per cent increase in the BJP's vote share in West Bengal, reaching 45.84 per cent, propelled the party to secure an additional 130 assembly seats, bringing their total to 207, while the Trinamool Congress experienced a 7.22 per cent decline, losing 135 seats and falling to 80.
Two outgoing West Bengal ministers, Sujit Bose and Rathin Ghosh, under scrutiny in a recruitment scam case, did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as scheduled, citing health and post-election duties.
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.
West Bengal minister Sujit Bose was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate for nearly nine hours in connection with the alleged civic body recruitment scam.
The BJP achieved a clean sweep in nine districts of West Bengal, securing all 68 seats in these regions during the recent election. This victory marks a significant shift in the state's political landscape, ending the Trinamool Congress's 15-year rule and establishing the BJP's dominance.
Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar expressed confidence in the party's future in the state, drawing parallels with the BJP's growth in West Bengal. He highlighted the party's focus on development and its commitment to addressing people's issues in the Assembly.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has accused the TMC government in West Bengal of diverting central funds for party activities and destroying the state's education system. He also criticised the teacher recruitment process and expressed confidence in the BJP's victory in the upcoming assembly polls.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has resigned from his post, triggering a political storm in the state ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The sudden resignation has led to speculation and accusations between the ruling TMC and the BJP.
Repolling is taking place in 15 booths across two assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, following reports of electoral malpractices during the previous phase of voting. The Election Commission ordered the repolls, and voting is being conducted under tight security with webcasting to monitor the proceedings.
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.
In a momentous occasion after the Bharatiya Janata Party's win, the Durga temple in Asansol, reopened its doors to devotees after remaining shut for several years.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals a significant increase in West Bengal MLAs with declared criminal cases, rising from 49% in 2021 to 65% in the latest assembly. The report also highlights a rise in the number of 'crorepati' MLAs.
A Chhattisgarh Armed Force constable, recently returned from election duty in West Bengal, allegedly committed suicide at his rented house in Dhamtari city, following a dispute with his wife.
