West Bengal poll: Polling under way for 152 assembly seats in 1st phase of Bengal elections
Mangalore Today News Network
Kolkata, Apr 23, 2026: Voting began on Thursday across 152 constituencies in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, held under unprecedented security and amid a high-stakes political contest expected to influence the overall outcome.
Polling commenced at 7 am, with voters lining up at booths from Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri in north Bengal to Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum and Hooghly in the south, officials said.
This phase covers more than half of the state’s 294 assembly seats and is seen as a crucial test for both the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). While the BJP aims for an early breakthrough, the TMC is seeking to secure momentum in its bid for a fourth consecutive term.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens, particularly youth and women, to vote in large numbers, calling the election a “festival of democracy.”
According to the Election Commission, over 3.60 crore voters are eligible in this phase, including around 1.75 crore women and 465 third-gender voters.
To ensure smooth polling, nearly 2.5 lakh personnel from 2,450 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed. Over 8,000 polling stations have been marked as highly sensitive, with districts such as Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Birbhum and Purba Bardhaman under special surveillance.
More than 2,193 quick response teams, surveillance units and flying squads are also in place to prevent violence and ensure free and fair elections.
West Bengal Governor R. N. Ravi also appealed to voters, especially youth and women, to participate actively, stressing that every vote is crucial in shaping the state’s future.
The first phase holds significant political importance as it includes all 54 seats in north Bengal — a region that played a key role in the BJP’s rise in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and its emergence as the main challenger to the TMC in 2021.
In the 2021 Assembly polls, the BJP won 59 of these 152 seats, while the TMC secured 93. Retaining its foothold in north Bengal is vital for the BJP, while the TMC, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, aims to prevent a BJP sweep to maintain momentum.
The phase is also under scrutiny following a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, which led to the deletion of around 91 lakh names, sparking political controversy. The BJP claims the exercise removed bogus voters, while the TMC alleges that genuine voters, especially minorities and migrant workers, were disenfranchised.
Prominent candidates contesting in this phase include Suvendu Adhikari, Nisith Pramanik, Udayan Guha, Goutam Deb, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 29, while counting of votes will take place on May 4.