About 70 lakh voters will choose among 163 candidates in phase 1-B of the West Bengal Assembly elections on Monday. Thirty one seats in Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Burdwan districts go to the polls in this phase. There are 21 women candidates in this part.
5:23 p.m.: Till 3 pm, 71.6 per cent polling was recorded. The turnout in West Midnapore is 76 per cent, 70.8 per cent in Bankura and per cent in 67.96 per cent Bardhaman. >Read more...
2.00 p.m.: Voter turnout till 1 p.m.:
West Midnipore - 65.00 per cent; Bankura: 57.60 per cent; Bardwan: 56.74 per cent
Total: 59.78 per cent
1.40 p.m.: The first four hours of polling in 31 Assembly constituencies of West Bengal spread over three districts today recorded a turnout of 38.65 per cent even as sporadic incidents of violence were repoeted. Election Commission officials said the polling percentage was 38.65 in Bankura, West Midnapore and Burdwan districts
1.10 p.m.: Trinamool cadres attack Left Front cadres with bombs over last couple of hours, Left supporters alleged.
12:10 p.m.: The Election Commission issues notification for the sixth and last phase of West Bengal Assembly polls on May 5. With this issue of notification, the process of filing of nominations by candidates begins, the last date of which is April 18.
Poll percentage till 11 am :
West Medinipur 48%; Bankura 32.51 %; Bardhaman 35.45%
Average : 35.65%
12.35 p.m. : CPI(M) supporters allegedly assaulted by TMC cadres in Keshpur in West Medinipur district.
12:05 p.m.: A look at the key candidates and their assets. > Read more
11:15 a.m.: Sporadic incidents of violence occurred as around 20 per cent electorate cast their vote in the initial hours during polling. The turnout in seats spread over three districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Burdwan districts in the second part of the first phase was was 19.95 per cent till 9 AM, election officials said.
Voting underway for the second part of the first phase of assembly elections in >#WestBengal : 39.69% voter turnout recorded till 11 AM.
— ANI (@ANI_news) >April 11, 2016
10.55 a.m. : Polling officer removed in Kulti in Bardhaman district for failing to take action when a woman voter was threatened.
10.45 a..m.: In a definite departure from earlier tradition, the Election Commission has decided to refrain from announcing the polling percentage in every two hours. > Read more
10.30 a.m.: Polling percentage at 9.00 a.m.
West Midnapore : 23.97 per cent
Bankura: 16.92 per cent
Bardwan - 18.95 per cent
Total -19.95 per cent
10.20 a.m.: Jivan Ruida is the name of CPI(M) agent who was allegedly beaten up at Booth no. 76-77of Jamuria by the TMC supporters. He sustained bleeding injury and has been taken to local health center.
9.45 a.m.: Surjya kanta Mishra visits a number of booths in his constituency in Narayangarh in Paschim Medinipur. He ensures that CPI(M) polling agent are present in every booth. Points out that people without voter identity card are present outside polling booth. Surjya Kanta Mishra is the State Secretary of CPI-M & Opposition leader.
9.40 a.m.: Manas Bhunia, the Congress and alliance backed candidate of Sabang in Paschim Medinipur said that in at least two booths the voters are not allowed to vote. "Election Commission is silent spectator." Mr Bhunia said.
9:15 a.m.: A total of 163 candidates, including 21 women, are contesting in 31 seats of West Midnapore, Bankura and Burdwan districts. There are about 70 lakh voters and 33.6 lakh are women and 50 belong to the third gender. > Read more
8.16 a.m.: Polling agent of CPI(M) attacked at a booth in Jamuria in Bardhaman. > Read more
(CPI(M) polling agent in Jamuria in Bardhaman district who was allegedly attacked by supporters of TMC, on Monday. Photo: Special Arrangement)
8.15 a.m.: Polling officer dies of heart attack in Pandabeswar in Bardhaman district.
8.12 a.m.: One TMC worker reportedly arrested in Jamuria for allegedly assaulting CPI(M) polling agents
8.10 a.m.: Gunmen openly roaming around in Sonamukhi in Bankura district.
8.05 a.m.: CPI(M) polling agents allegedly assaulted by TMC in Jamuria in Bardhaman
07:15 am: Repoll in two booths of Bankura and Paschim Medinipur districts, where polling was held in the first part of the first phase poll on April 4, is also being held today.
07:10 am: Voters can exercise their franchise between 7 am and 6 pm.
07:05 am: Altogether 163 candidates, including 21 women, are in the fray in those 31 seats of Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Burdwan districts.
07:00 am: Polling began for 31 seats in West Bengal.
Candidates profiles, phase 1B
Surjyakanta Mishra : The CPI-M State secretary was voted out in the party to contest from the Narayanharh Assembly seat in Paschim Medinipur where he has been elected five times and is currently the sitting MLA.
Manas Bhunia : The six time Congress MLA from Sabang in Paschim Medinipur made headlines with his initial flip- flop over the Left - Congress tie up. However, later he changed his stand and has been regularly sharing the dais with the CPI-M State Secrratry Surjyakanta Mishra.
Gyan Singh Sohanpal: Affectionately called Chacha by the locals of his Khraghpur Sadar seat, he is the oldest ( 91) candidate in the fray in the ongoing Assembly polls. He is a ten time Congress MLA from the Assembly seat.
Dilip Ghosh: The BJP State president, a former RSS pracharak , is a newbie in electoral politics and is pitted against the Congress heavyweight Gyan Singh Sohanpal in the Kharagpur Sadar seat.
Soham Chakraborty: The Bengali actor who is a household name in the State due to his commercial movies, is a first time contender. He is contesting from the Barjora Assembly seat in Bankura on a TMC ticket.
Diptansu Chaudhury : The retired Colonel who was tasked with the operational logistics planning in the Kargil war has been fielded by the BJP in the Barjora Assembly seat in Bankura. The first time contender has been pitted against another political newbie actor Soham Chakraborty of TMC.
Full coverage: >West Bengal Assembly Elections
