West Bengal Election 2021: Bengal votes in the fifth phase today (Representational)
West Bengal is voting today in the fifth phase of the assembly elections held amid an alarming surge of coronavirus cases across the country.
45 seats are going to polls in the biggest of the state's eight-phased elections. Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Darjeeling and a part of Nadia, North 24 Parganas and Purba Bardhaman will vote today in which a total of 319 candidates, including 39 women are contesting.
Bengal has already voted for 135 seats and after today's voting, results for more than half of its 294 seats will be sealed. High-profile contestants include the Trinamool's Bratya Basu, Gautam Deb and Siddiqullah Chowdhury, and the BJP's Jagannath Sarkar - one of five MPs nominated by the party.
The BJP is contesting all 45 seats. The ruling Trinamool will contest 42 with three given to allies Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). The Congress will contest only 11, with alliance partner CPM contesting 25 and the rest given to smaller parties.
On Friday evening, the Election Commission ordered a 72-hour 'silence period', instead of the usual 48 hours, ahead of the remaining rounds of voting. The poll body cited the pandemic and added that election rallies and meetings - on days when campaigning is allowed - would be banned between 7 pm and 10 am.
In the build-up to polling both Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and BJP Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh received 24-hour campaign bans. Ms Banerjee was banned over comments relating to Muslim votes while Mr Ghosh was banned for comments on the Cooch Behar violence.
A total of 1,071 companies of central forces for ensuring a peaceful election. In addition to this, 15,790 state police officials will also be on duty.
Here are the LIVE Updates on "Bengal Election 2021 Phase 5 Voting Today:
78.36% Voter Turnout Till 5 PM In Bengal
Bengal logs 78.36 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm in the fifth phase of Assembly polls today. The turnout is marginally less than the 79.5 per cent turnout recorded till 5 pm in 2016.
BJP's "Dirty Tricks' Department" Behind Leaked Mamata Banerjee Audio: Trinamool's Yashwant Sinha
A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation led by leaders Yashwant Sinha, Derek O'Brien and Purnendu Basu met the Election Commission (EC) today regarding the "illegal" recording of a conversation between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party candidate Partha Pratim Ray, reported news agency ANI.
Speaking to the media, Yashwant Sinha said: "We met the EC to register a complaint that a day before the elections, the BJP released a so-called tape of the West Bengal Chief Minister and it is clear that this is the result of BJP's dirty tricks' department. It is released just a day before voting to influence voters."
He further informed that the big question raised before the Commission was who was taping the conversations of the Chief Minister.
"I have been a minister and I want to say that there is a prescribed procedure even for recording the conversations of a criminal," he said.
"Shocking Callousness": Congress As PM Addresses Rallies In Bengal Amid Covid
Congress today slammed the BJP and PM Modi for campaigning in Bengal amid a raging pandemic in the country, calling it a "shocking callousness" on part of PM to address rallies in Bengal instead of staying in Delhi and fighting the war against pandemic, reported news agency PTI.
Only BJP Can Stop Infiltration: Amit Shah In Bengal
BJP Forming Government In Bengal With Over 200 Seats: Amit Shah
West Bengal Assembly polls: "Mamata Banerjee Playing Politics With Cooch Behar Firing Victims' Bodies," says PM ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi today accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of conspiring to use the bodies of the five victims of last week's Cooch Behar firing to consolidate her vote bank. He referred to a reported audio clip doing the rounds in which she is allegedly heard planning to take out a rally of the bodies.
The Trinamool had earlier claimed that the BJP had distorted the content of the audio clip to spread disinformation amid the ongoing state Assembly election.
Five people were killed in firing by security forces on April 10 after violence broke out at a polling booth at Sitakulchi in Cooch Behar district when voting was going on in the fourth of the eight-phase Bengal election.
Trinamool MP Mimi Chakraborty Casts Her Vote
69.27% Voter Turnout Till 3 PM In Bengal
Bengal registers voter turnout of 69.27 per cent till 3 pm in the fifth phase of the Assembly election.In 2016, 70.4 per cent voter turnout was registered till 3 pm.
Trinamool Writes To Election Panel After BJP Leaks Mamata Banerjee AudioThe Trinamool Congress has written to the Election Commission seeking action against the BJP for allegedly recording and leaking an audio clip of party leader and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's conversation with Trinamool candidate Partha Pratim Ray.
Mamata Banerjee's Day Incomplete Without Abusing Me: PM Modi In Bengal
Mamata Banerjee's day is not complete without abusing me, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally in Bengal's Gangarampur, reported news agency PTI.
My Phone Is Being Tapped, Will Order Probe: Mamata BanerjeeBengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today alleged that her phone is being tapped, a day after a purported audio tape surfaced in which the chief minister is heard proposing a rally with the bodies of Cooch Behar firing victims, reported news agency PTI. Ms Banerjee said she will order a CID probe into the matter.
Addressing an election rally in Bengal's Galsi, she accused the BJP of being involved in the conspiracy as the party "cannot match" the ruling Trinamool Congress' campaigning on development programmes.
Bengal Election Voting LIVE: TMC goons stopped me, says BJP candidate
Amit Shah holds roadshow in Bengal's North 24 Parganas districtUnion Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday held a roadshow at Amdanga in North 24 Parganas
district as he sought to bolster the saffron partys campaign for the upcoming phases of West Bengal assembly elections.
BJP supporters cheered for Mr Shah, as his caravan inched forward through the crowded streets of Amdanga -- from Mitre Vijay More to Neelganj More.
The home minister showered flower petals on his supporters and the people who queued up on both sides of the road to catch a glimpse of him.
Mr Shah also waved at local residents who stood on rooftops and balconies.
He is scheduled to address two public rallies later in the day.
Bengal Election 2021 LIVE: 54.67% voter turnout recorded till 1:34 pm
Trinamool Congress delegation comprising Yashwant Sinha, Derek O'Brien and Purnendu Basu to meet Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal today, to submit a memorandum.
Bengal Election Voting LIVE: The Heavyweights
Bengal Election Voting LIVE: Break-up of constituencies, candidates and polling stations
Bengal Election 2021 LIVE: Criminal candidates
Bengal Election LIVE: The electorate in the fifth phase57,35,766 male voters, 56,11,354 female voters and 224 other genders will vote in the fifth phase today
Bengal Election LIVE: PM Modi hits out at Mamata Banerjee in Asansol- From bicycle to rail, paper to steel, aluminium to glass - people from all over India come here to work in such factories. In a way, Asansol is mini India. People from all corners of India are seen here. But the misgovernance of Bengal governments affected Asansol.
- People used to come here for employment but today people from here are migrating. Didi, who speaks of Ma Mati Manush, has spread 'mafia raj' here.
- In the last 10 years, Didi betrayed you in the name of development. She stood like a wall in front of development. Centre offered facility of free healthcare up to Rs 5 lakh, she became a wall. Centre formed laws to help refugees, she opposed this too.
- Centre formed law to free Muslim women from triple talaq, she became angry. Centre formed law to free farmers from middlemen, she opposed this....Bengal wants double engine govt and not the one that blocks development.
- You might have listened to an audiotape over what happened in Cooch Behar. After the death of five people, Didi is doing politics. In this audiotape, Cooch Behar TMC leader is being told to hold a rally with the bodies of the five victims.
- Didi, how far will you go for vote bank? The truth is that Didi thought of her political benefit through those deaths. Doing politics on corpses is an old habit of Didi.
-- Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Asansol
Bengal Election Phase 5 Voting: Voting adjourned in one constituencyJUST IN | Voting for the seventh phase of West Bengal Polls, at 58 Jangipur Assembly Constituency in Murshidabad scheduled on 26th April, stands adjourned due to the death of Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) candidate Pradip Kumar Nandi: Election Commission of India official
(ANI)
Bengal assembly elections: Amit Shah holds rally in AmdangaUnion Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah holds roadshow in Amdanga, North 24 Parganas district
Bengal Election Voting LIVE: Rich candidates
Bengal Election Voting LIVE: Seats ContestingThe BJP is contesting all 45 seats. The ruling Trinamool will contest 42 with three given to allies Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). The Congress will contest only 11, with alliance partner CPM contesting 25 and the rest given to smaller parties.
Bengal Election Voting LIVE: Photos from polling booth
Bengal Election Phase 5 Voting: Trinamool's Sujit Bose visits polling boothTMC candidate from Bidhannagar, Sujit Bose visits a polling booth in East Calcutta Girls College in the assembly constituency, as polling in the fifth phase of assembly elections is underway.
"Two of our people were injured in stone-pelting by BJP supporters at booth numbers 265 and 272. We have informed the election observer and police. The situation is normal now," he said.
(ANI)
Bengal Election Voting LIVE: Turnout till 11amWest Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 36.02 per cent till 11.30 am across 45 constituencies in six districts during the fifth phase of the state Assembly polls, according to the Election Commission (EC).
Voting for the fifth phase of West Bengal Assembly polls began at 7 am on Saturday amid tight security.
The highest polling percentage till 11:30 am has been observed in the Jamalpur constituency in the Purba Bardhaman district with 44.21 per cent. Meanwhile, the lowest voter turnout has been witnessed at the Kamarhati constituency with 19 per cent.
Police Commissioner Ajoy Nanda visited various polling booths in the Kamarhati Assembly constituency in the North 24 Paraganas district. "Elections are underway peacefully. We are ensuring free and fair elections," Nanda told reporters.
ITBP personnel have been seen assisting senior citizens and physically challenged voters to reach polling stations in Ranaghat.
Bengal Election 2021 LIVE: Troops guard polling booths in Bengal - Pics
Bengal Election LIVE: Poll body seeks report of BJP polling agent's death in KamarhatiElection Commission has sought a report over the sudden death of a BJP polling agent at booth number 107 in Kamarhati.
"His name is Abhijeet Samant. Nobody helped him, there is no facility for treatment here," says brother of the BJP polling agent.
(ANI)
West Bengal Election 2021 LIVE Updates: BJP don't have people's support in Bengal, says Bimal GurungThey (BJP) don't have people's support in Bengal. They don't have much influence on ground zero. How can they form the government? Politics is not possible through violence, vandalism, shooting. Politics should be simple. I supported BJP for 15 years but what did it do for my community? PM Modi had assured us and made a commitment, it has been 6.5-7 years now but it is yet to be completed: GJM (Gorkhaland Janmukti Morcha) leader Bimal Gurung
(ANI)
16.15 % turnout till 9 am in Beengal phase 5 voting.
West Bengal Phase 5th of polling - Full authority to enter a polling booth, says Madan Mitra
Bengal Election Phase 5 Voting: Voting underway in Bardhaman Voters queue outside polling booth 263 in Bardhaman South, in Phase 5 of the West Bengal assembly elections
West Bengal Election 2021 LIVE Updates: We want BJP, says Gorkha National Liberation Front ChiefIt looks like 'khela shesh' so far. We're keeping a watch. As far as the Hills and our problems are concerned, we want that this government be changed; we want BJP government, we want justice: Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) president Mann Ghising, in Darjeeling.
Bengal Election LIVE: Voters queue up outside a poll booth in DakshineswarVoters queue up outside Hiralal Mazumder Memorial College for Women - designated as a polling booth - in Dakshineswar, Kolkata. Voting for the fifth phase of West Bengal Elections 2021 is underway today.
Bengal Election 2021 LIVE: TMC leader Madan Mitra casts his vote at a polling booth in Kamarhati
Bengal Election Voting LIVE: Voting underway in Bardhaman SouthVoters queue outside polling booth 263 in Bardhaman South, in Phase 5 of the West Bengal assembly elections
Bengal assembly elections: Voting underway in KamarhatiVoters queue up to cast their votes as fifth phase of polling begins; visuals from Kamarhati
Bengal elections: Polling underway in Darjeeling
Polling for 5th phase of Bengal elections begins, 342 candidates contestingThe polling for the fifth phase of West Bengal assembly elections began at 7 am on Saturday
across 45 assembly segments amid tight security.
Long queues were seen outside polling booths where voting is underway adhering to COVID-19 protocols, official sources said.
Over one crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the political fate of 342 candidates.
Security measures have been heightened for the fifth phase in view of the violence in the previous phase, which witnessed the death of five people in Cooch Behar district, including four in CISF firing.
The Election Commission has decided to deploy at least 853 companies of central forces to ensure free and fair voting, an official said.
The polling will continue till 6:30 pm.
(PTI)
Bengal assembly elections: Voting begins
Voting begins in Bengal in fifth and biggest phase.
Bengal assembly elections: Campaigning timing curtailedAhead of the fifth phase of polling, the Election Commission decided to curtail the timings of campaigning for the remaining phases and extended the silence period to 72 hours for each of the phases.
In its order, the EC said: "No rallies, public meetings, street plays, Nukkad sabhas, shall be allowed on any day during the days of campaign between 7 pm and 10 am with effect from 7 pm of 16.4.2021."
"Silence period for rallies, public meetings, street plays, nukkad sabha, bike rallies or any gathering for campaigning purposes shall be extended to 72 hours before the end of the poll for Phase 6, Phase 7 and Phase 8 in the state of West Bengal," it added.
(ANI)