Kolkata: The third phase of polling is underway in West Bengal for its 31 seats spread across three districts – 16 in South 24 Parganas (part II), seven in Howrah (part I) and eight in Hooghly (part I). The state will have five more rounds of polling and the results will be announced on May 2.
The political battle for this high stake state will be fought between between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) among its 205 candidates. The prominent candidates like BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, TMC minister Ashima Patra and CPI(M) leader Kanti Ganguly will be seen locking horns with each other on the battle ground. Around 78.5 lakh voters will participate in the process.
-West Bengal records 77.68% voter turnout till 6:35 pm
05:55PM (IST)
Also Read :- EC bans BJP leader Rahul Sinha from campaigning for 48 hrs for "Inciting Forces"
Officials came here but didn’t facilitate voting for us ,said a woman, earlier today.
pic.twitter.com/VJCzLeBJsg— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
04:46 PM (IST)
pic.twitter.com/Zi3UouRCzY
Also Read :- Amit Shah reverses Mamata Banerjee's allegations against her; says she provoked violence
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
-Over 54% votes cast in West Bengal till 02.00pm
01:25 PM (IST)
-Voting underway in South 24 Praganas district in West Bengal
Voting Process is on going after maintaining all Covid – 19 Protocol at 145 Satgachia Assembly Constituency of South 24 Parganas District. #WestBengalElections2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI@rajivkumarec @PIBKolkata pic.twitter.com/04LOUTS0Po
Also Read :- Mamata calls Cooch Behar killings "genocide", lashes out at EC for suppressing facts
— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) April 6, 2021
01:10 PM (IST)
-‘Blatant misuse of Central forces’, West Bengal CM Banerjee alleges
The blatant misuse of Central forces continues unabated. Despite us repeatedly raising this issue, @ECISVEEP continues to be a mute spectator while men in uniform are being misused at several places to openly intimidate TMC voters & influence many to vote in favour of one party.
pic.twitter.com/l6t28mxwBOMamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) April 6, 2021
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee alleged the misuse of Central forces during the third phase of the ongoing elections in the state. “The blatant misuse of Central forces continues unabated. Despite us repeatedly raising this issue, ECISVEEP continues to be a mute spectator while men in uniform are being misused at several places to openly intimidate TMC voters & influence many to vote in favour of one party”, Banerjee wrote on Twitter.
12:10 PM (IST)
-Polling underway in Goghat assembly constituency of Hooghly district
Glimpses of Polling process at Polling Station No 221, of 201 Goghat (SC) Assembly Constituency of Hooghly District. #WestBengalElections2021 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI@rajivkumarec @PIBKolkata pic.twitter.com/03Qb06cnZO
— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) April 6, 2021
12:07 PM (IST)
-Fight broke out between TMC, BJP supporters in Arambag
-Clashes erupted between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters in Arambag in West Bengal as voting for the third phase of the assembly elections is underway in the state. “In Arandi-I area here, we’ve minority, SC voters who love Mamata Banerjee. Goons of BJP threatened & tortured women voters last night”, alleged Sujata Mondal, TMC candidate from Arambagh, according to reports. “Situation is fine at many places but not okay where we’re strong. At booth 45, people voted for TMC but it’s going to BJP. In Arandi-ii, our workers were beaten. Central Forces are also not neutral. They’re telling people to vote for BJP,” Mondal added.
10:58 AM (IST)
-ITBP jawan carries senior citizen to help her reach polling booth in Kulpi, Sundarban
-An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawan carries a senior citizen to help her reach a polling booth in Kulpi, Sundarban to cast her vote.
09:17 AM (IST)
-BJP candidate from Diamond Harbour accuses TMC of ‘Not allowing people to cast votes’
-“TMC goons are not allowing people to cast their votes at booth no. 180, 143 Dagira Baduldanga. I have complained to the Election Commission officials”, says Dipak Haldar, BJP candidate from Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas.
09:16 AM (IST)
-Voting underway in West Bengal assembly elections
-Voters queue to cast their vote amid coronavirus pandemic at South 24 parganas district in West Bengal.
09:04 AM (IST)
-Polling station in Uttar Moukhali Junior High Madrasa in Canning Purba constituency.
Thermal scanning of voters being done, hand sanitiser and hand gloves being provided to them as they stand in a queue to cast their vote for the third phase of #WestBengalPolls.
Visuals from a polling station in Uttar Moukhali Junior High Madrasa in Canning Purba constituency. pic.twitter.com/Sd54mQH0aq
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
08:52 AM (IST)
-Polling underway in West Bengal assembly elections
-Voters queue to cast their vote amid coronavirus pandemic at South 24 parganas district in West Bengal.
08:46 AM (IST)
-Election Commission suspends official as EVMs and VVPATs found at Trinamool leader’s house in Bengal.
-Amid the ongoing Phase 3 polls of the West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 on Tuesday, electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPATs were found at a residence of a Trinamool Congress leader in Uluberia.
Sector Officer has been suspended. It was a reserved EVM that has been removed from the election process. Severe action will be taken against all involved: Election Commission of India (ECI)
EVMs and VVPATs were found at the residence of a TMC leader in Uluberia, West Bengal pic.twitter.com/IBFwmDSXeY
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
08:27 AM (IST)
-Polling in Arambag, Hooghly begins amid tight security.
West Bengal: Polling yet to begin at booth number 129 of AC 200 in Arambag, Hooghly. Voters continue to stand in a queue. #WestBengalPolls pic.twitter.com/PGbE8NehZl
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2021
07:08 AM (IST)
-Prime Minister Modi urges people to vote in 4 states, 1 UT as polling begins
-Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to vote as polling began in 4 states, 1 UT on Tuesday. “Elections are taking place in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. I request the people in these places to vote in record numbers, particularly the young voters,” he said in a tweet.
Elections are taking place in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. I request the people in these places to vote in record numbers, particularly the young voters.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2021
To ensure smooth polling process around 618 companies of central forces have been deployed to guard 10,871 polling stations, all of which have been marked “sensitive” by the commission.
Of the 31 constituencies going to polls in Bengal’s phase three assembly polls, the Trinamool had won 30 seats in the 2016 assembly elections while the Congress had managed to bag Amta constituency in Howrah district.