Counting of votes for the high-stakes assembly elections in West Bengal began at 8 am on Monday, with the verdict set to decide whether the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC returns to power for a fourth consecutive term or the BJP scripts history by forming its first government in the state.
The counting is being held for 293 of 294 assembly segments in 77 centres across 23 districts of the state under a multi-layered security cordon, deciding the fate of 2,926 candidates.
The elections were held under the shadow of the SIR exercise, in which the names of around 91 lakh people were removed from the electoral rolls, which shrank to around 6.82 crore.
The polling was held in two phases — on April 23 for 152 seats and on April 29 for 142 seats, recording a voter turnout of 92.47 per cent — the highest since Independence, according to the Election Commission.
While repolling was held in 11 booths of Magrahat Paschim and four in Diamond Harbour assembly segment on May 2, the EC countermanded polls in the adjacent Falta constituency, citing “severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations”.
The fresh poll in that seat will take place on May 21, and counting on May 24.
The postal ballots, through which those engaged in poll duty vote, are being counted first, followed by the EVMs. Several rounds of counting will be held in every seat, with early trends expected shortly.
The polling was held in two phases — on April 23 for 152 seats and on April 29 for 142 seats, recording a voter turnout of 92.47 per cent — the highest since Independence, according to the Election Commission.
While repolling was held in 11 booths of Magrahat Paschim and four in Diamond Harbour assembly segment on May 2, the EC countermanded polls in the adjacent Falta constituency, citing “severe electoral offences and subversion of democratic process during polling in a large number of polling stations”.
The fresh poll in that seat will take place on May 21, and counting on May 24.
The postal ballots, through which those engaged in poll duty vote, are being counted first, followed by the EVMs. Several rounds of counting will be held in every seat, with early trends expected shortly.
The elections have been keenly contested, with the ruling TMC aiming to retain power for a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP is seeking a historic breakthrough in the state. The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress are looking to regain lost ground after their rout in the 2021 elections.
More than 2.5 lakh personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), along with state police, have been deployed, with the TMC and BJP engaging in a showdown outside several strongrooms, where EVMs were stored, in the run-up to the counting.
More than 2.5 lakh personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), along with state police, have been deployed, with the TMC and BJP engaging in a showdown outside several strongrooms, where EVMs were stored, in the run-up to the counting.
In state capital Kolkata, counting for 11 assembly constituencies is being conducted across five locations — Ballygunge Govt High School, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University, Sakhawat Memorial Govt Girls’ High School, Netaji Indoor Stadium and St Thomas Boys’ School.
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