Home  »  Website  »  National  »  West Bengal Assembly Election Live Updates: 54.90 Percent Polling Recorded Till 1 PM

West Bengal Assembly Election Live Updates: 54.90 Percent Polling Recorded Till 1 PM

West Bengal Assembly Election Live Updates: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas, officials said adding that overall poll situation was peaceful

27 March 2021
Follow Outlook India On News
Voters stand in queue to cast their ballots during the first phase of Bengal Assembly elections
West Bengal Assembly Election Live Updates: 54.90 Percent Polling Recorded Till 1 PM
outlookindia.com
2021-03-27T14:07:48+05:30
Also read

After witnessing weeks of intense campaigning, as many as 30 Assembly seats in West Bengal go to polls today.

The elections are being held amid a covid-19 surge and authorities have been tasked with ensuring compliance of all covid-related guidelines. The Election Commission (EC) has deployed around 684 companies of central forces to guard 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises, officials said.

The seats that are going to polls include-- nine seats in Purulia, four in Bankura, four in Jhargram and six in Paschim Medinipur, besides the seven seats in high-stakes Purba Medinipur – the home ground of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

As many as 73 lakh voters will decide the fate of 191 candidates contesting in these seats. The TMC and BJP have fielded candidates in 29 seats each, while the Left-Congress-ISF alliance has put up candidates in all 30 seats, even as there are "friendly fights" in some.

Of these 30 seats, 27 were won by the TMC in the 2016 Assembly elections, the Congress bagged two and RSP one. However, the equations changed in 2019 with BJP making massive inroads in the tribal-dominated Jungle Mahal region, winning all five Lok Sabha constituencies -- Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Medinipur and Bishnupur.

Live Updates--

1.10 pm: 54.90 percent of 73.80 lakh voters exercise their franchise till 1.00 pm

12.30 pm: The seats in Paschim Medinipur recorded 35.50 per cent turnout, while those in Purulia saw 33.58 per cent voters exercising their franchise.

12.15 pm: The seats in Purba Medinipur recorded the highest turnout at 38.89 per cent, followed by Jhargram (37.07 per cent) and Bankura (36.38 per cent).

12. 00 pm: The protesters blocked a road outside the polling station at Majna, claiming that even if they voted for one party, the VVPAT slip showed another party. A contingent of central forces was deployed to control the situation, an EC official said, adding that the VVPAT machine was replaced.

11.45 am: A voter undergoes a temperature screening before entering a polling booth in West Bengal’s Jhargram. 

11.30 am: In the Kanthi Dakshin seat in Purba Medinipur, voters staged a protest outside a polling booth over EVM malfunctioning.

 11.15 am: 36.09 per cent turnout recorded till 11 am, officials said.

11.00 am: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas, officials said adding that overall poll situation was peaceful

10.30 am: BJP Leader Soumendu Adhikari has alleged that people are being barred from voting at a polling centre in Contai, reports claimed.

10.00 am: A Trinamool Congress (TMC delegation is expected to meet the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer at noon to raise concerns about the voting percentage.

"What is happening @ECISVEEP?! Could you explain how voting percentage drastically reduced to half within a gap of just 5 minutes?! Shocking! @CEOWestBengal, please look into this urgently!" AITC tweeted.

 9.45 am: The state recorded a voter turnout of 10.2 percent till 9.30 am, reports claimed

9.00 am: BJP president JP Nadda urges voters to follow covid-19 protocols

8.30 am: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urges people to vote in larger numbers

8.00 am: BJP candidate Samit Das casts his vote in West Midnapore

7.30 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters to hit the polling booths in record numbers

7:00 am: Polling begins for first phase of West Bengal Assembly elections

6:30 am: EC officials prepare to conduct elections at a polling booth in West Bengal’s East Midnapore.

(With PTI inputs)

For in-depth, objective and more importantly balanced journalism, Click here to subscribe to Outlook Magazine

Subscribe to Outlook’s Newsletter

Next Story >>

The AIIMS Brick, Is It Stolen? BJP Asks Udhayanidhi Stalin

Read More in:

Outlook Web Bureau West Bengal West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 Trinamool Congress (TMC) BJP Congress National

More from India

More From Outlook Magazine

More from Website

More from Blog