Assembly elections 2021: Second phase of polling for West Bengal, Assam to begin at 7 | LIVE
Polling began at 7 am on Thursday for 39 seats in the second phase of assembly elections in Assam and 30 constituencies, including the high-profile Nandigram seat, in West Bengal amid tight security. In Assam, the fate of 345 candidates, including 26 women, is being decided by over 73.44 lakh voters in this phase. Among those contesting the elections in this phase are five ministers and the deputy speaker of the outgoing House. In West Bengal, more than 75 lakh voters will decide the fate of 191 candidates as eyes are set on Nandigram where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against her former lieutenant and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari. The Election Commission has declared all the 10,620 polling booths as sensitive and deployed around 651 companies of central forces, apart from the state police, to provide security. A total of 210 companies of central armed police forces have been deployed in Paschim Medinipur, 199 in Purba Medinipur, 170 in South 24 Parganas and 72 in Bankura.
