West Bengal is witnessing the second phase of its assembly election today, with polling underway across 142 seats. The voting began at 7 AM and will continue until 6 PM, with strict security measures in place to ensure a peaceful process. Key candidates in this phase include Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress and Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who are contesting from Nandigram and other constituencies.
Voting Arrangements and Security
The Election Commission has deployed heavy security forces, including central paramilitary personnel, to prevent any untoward incidents. Over 2.5 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots across 30,000 polling stations. Electronic voting machines have been set up, and webcasting is being done at sensitive booths to monitor the process in real time.
Key Constituencies and Candidates
Among the high-profile seats is Nandigram, where Mamata Banerjee is contesting against Suvendu Adhikari, her former aide who switched to the BJP. Other notable constituencies include Tamluk, Kanthi, and Ghatal, where fierce contests are expected between the TMC, BJP, and Left-Congress alliances.
Polling has been largely peaceful so far, with long queues of voters seen since early morning. The Election Commission has urged voters to exercise their franchise responsibly and maintain COVID-19 protocols.
