Desk Correspondent , Kolkata - Over 32 million voters in West Bengal began casting ballots on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in the second and final phase of the state Assembly elections, deciding the fate of 1,448 candidates across 142 constituencies. Polling is underway from 7 am to 6 pm in key areas spanning seven to eight districts, including Kolkata and its suburbs, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Howrah, Hooghly, and Purba Bardhaman—regions that include Trinamool Congress (TMC) strongholds, Matua-dominated seats, industrial belts, and the Sunderbans islands.
Of the 142 seats, 107 are general, 34 are reserved for Scheduled Castes, and one for Scheduled Tribes, with major contests primarily between the ruling TMC, BJP, Congress, and Left Front. High-profile battles include Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking re-election from Bhabanipur against BJP's Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. The Election Commission has deployed extensive security with over 41,000 polling stations—many women-managed—and central forces to ensure peaceful voting following reported pre-poll clashes and seizures of cash, liquor, and valuables worth over ₹500 crore since the Model Code of Conduct came into force.
This phase follows the first round on April 23 that covered 152 seats. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal stated that authorities are better prepared for Phase 2 due to the more concentrated area, aiming for free, fair, and violence-free polls with improved area domination. Votes from both phases, along with other states, will be counted on May 4, 2026, to determine control of the 294-member West Bengal Assembly. In the 2021 elections, TMC had secured a strong majority in these Phase 2 areas.
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