West Bengal Elections, Phase 5 Polling: The political fate of over 300 candidates will be decided on Saturday when West Bengal votes in the fifth phase of the assembly elections.
The polling started at 7 am and conclude at 6 pm amid tight security arrangements and Covid-19 guidelines put in place by the Election Commission. Security arrangements have been increased for this phase in view of the violence in Cooch Behar during voting in the fourth phase.
A total of 45 constituencies, including 16 seats in North 24 Parganas, eight each in Purba Bardhaman and Nadia, seven in Jalpaiguri, five in Darjeeling, and one in Kalimpong district, will vote in this phase.
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This phase is crucial for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), which is aiming to better its tally of 32 seats won in the last assembly elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have campaigned extensively for this phase in a bid to ensure the saffron party’s victory in the TMC-ruled state.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has curtailed the campaign timing for remaining three phases of West Bengal assembly elections while taking a serious view against the repeated violations of Covid-19 norms by political leaders, campaigners and candidates.
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The poll body has extended the silence period from 48 hours to 72 hours. The Election Commission has also banned campaigning from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m. beginning today.
Over 78 percent voter turnout was recorded in the fourth phase. West Bengal is voting in eight phases this time. The results will be declared on May 2.