West Bengal is voting in its second and final phase of polling today. This round is widely seen as the "litmus test" for the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), as voting moves into the party's traditional fortresses in South Bengal and Kolkata.
Early morning visuals captured a state in "mission mode." The atmosphere remains electric and heavily guarded. Election officials and polling agents gathered at dawn to conduct mock polls, a mandatory procedure to ensure the integrity of EVMs and VVPAT machines.
There will be webcasting for all 41,001 polling stations. The results of West Bengal polls will be declared on May 4, along with the outcome of polls in Assam, Keralam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry.
2026-04-29T08:56
Mamata visits polling booths in her Bhabanipur constituency -
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday visited various booths in her Bhabanipur assembly constituency where polling is underway. The Bhabanipur assembly segment is Banerjee’s political bastion, where she faces Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari in a prestige battle seen as a symbolic rematch of Nandigram, where he had defeated her in 2021. The TMC chief generally goes out of her Kalighat residence in the afternoon on the polling day to cast her vote at Mitra Institution school. She, however, went out before 8 am to visit various polling stations in the Bhabanipur assembly segment, including those in the Chetla area, in south Kolkata.
2026-04-29T08:52
Violence, vandalism reported in early hours of voting -
2026-04-29T08:50
TMC MP Mahua Moitra casts her vote -
"This time, we are engaged in the fight to save democracy. 2.7 million voters have been deleted, and the remaining voters will definitely vote 100%. That's why the voting percentage is bound to be very high. It's simple mathematics. People are voting for revenge because they will give a befitting reply to the joke the Central Government and the Election Commission have played..."
2026-04-29T08:48
TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee casts his vote -
2026-04-29T08:45
LoP Suvendu Adhikari inspects polling station in Bhabanipur -
West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday inspected polling stations in the Bhabanipur assembly seat, and also offered prayers at the Hanuman temple in the region. Suvendu is taking on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Bhabanipur in a high-profile contest, who has held the seat for the past 15 years.
2026-04-29T08:36
BJP's Ratna Debnath flags EVM issue -
BJP candidate from Panihati Assembly constituency, Ratna Debnath, cast her vote at a polling booth and displayed her inked finger and claimed that there was a possible issue with the EVM button while casting her vote, and said she would inform polling officials.
Debnath said, "I feel there is some problem with the press button on the EVM. It is taking time to press it; I will inform the officer. I thank every voter who came early to vote, and I appeal to all voters to come out and vote. I believe I will get justice."
2026-04-29T08:33
BJP candidate Arjun Singh casts vote
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Noapara constituency, Arjun Singh, cast his vote at a polling booth in Kolkata as polling. Singh said he expects a high voter turnout, like 93.2 per cent in the first phase of the polls.
"I have cast my vote. I have voted for a change. I have voted for the formation of a BJP government here. This (voter turnout) should be like the first phase. This is the Election Commission's duty; if they don't do it, then it is their failure. At booth number 238, the cable of the webcast camera was found snapped. The Election Commission fixed it. Police cannot be seen here; it will be good if we can see them," the BJP candidate said.
2026-04-29T07:26
PM Modi urge all to turn up in massive numbers -
2026-04-29T07:23
WB Polls -
Long queues had already snaked around polling stations in South 24 Parganas. There are 8,845 all-women-managed stations, 13 PWD-managed stations, and 258 "model" polling stations.
2026-04-29T07:22
WB Polls -
Polling station 79 in Shibpur saw a flurry of activity as officials verified the tech before the first actual voter arrived.
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