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West Bengal Polls LIVE: Huge turnout of women, says EC as polling ends

West Bengal election 2021 LIVE: Phase 5 is crucial for Mamata Banerjee, since these are the regions where BJP gained a foothold in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Stay tuned for Bengal election LIVE updates

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West Bengal election

West Bengal Assembly election

West Bengal election 2021 LIVE updates: Polling in the fifth phase of the West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 is underway across 45 constituencies spread over six districts. So far, 16.15% voter turnout has been recorded. The campaigning for the fifth phase ended at 6pm on Wednesday, as the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued trading blows over the recent killings of four men by central security personnel at Cooch Behar's Sitalkuchi, where polls were held last Saturday. In Phase 5 of the West Bengal assembly elections six districts -- Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Bardhaman -- go into polls.

As many as 319 candidates, including 39 women, are in the fray in this phase of the West Bengal assembly elections. One-fourth of the total candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The fifth phase is crucial for TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, since these are the regions where the BJP gained a significant foothold in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. This phase includes the hill districts of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

The polling for phases 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the state elections took place on March 27, April 1, and April 6, and April 10, respectively.

Stay tuned for West Bengal election 2021 LIVE updates
8:24 PM

West Bengal elections: EC says polling peaceful in fifth phase

West Bengal saw 78.36 per cent voter turnout till 6.30 pm in the fifth phase of the assembly election on Saturday.
 
Chief Electoral Officer Ariz Aftab said that the polling "was held peacefully" in 15,789 polling stations spread across 45 assembly constituencies.
 
The polling was held in six districts - Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Nadia, North 24 Parganas and Purba Bardhaman.
 
Jalpaiguri recorded the highest turnout with 81.71 per cent, while Purba Bardhaman and Nadia registered 81.67 per cent and 81.50 per cent.
 
A total of 319 candidates, including 38 women, contested in this phase. (ANI)
7:22 PM

LIVE: Huge turnout of women voters, says EC as polling ends for fifth phase

Polling was conducted peacefully in 15,789 Polling Stations spread across 45 Assembly Constituencies, in the fifth phase of elections in the State of West Bengal, says Election Commission
6:20 PM

West Bengal Polls LIVE: Locals in Kurulgacha area allege central forces opened fire

West Bengal: Locals in Kurulgacha area of Deganga assembly constituency allege that Central Forces opened fire. "Peaceful voting underway here. Suddenly 8-9 personnel of Central Forces stormed here and opened fire. One round was fired, nobody has been injured," a local told news agency ANI. 
6:05 PM

West Bengal election 2021 LIVE: 78.36% voter turnout recorded till 5 pm

West Bengal election 2021 LIVE: 78.36% voter turnout recorded till 5 pm
4:41 PM

West Bengal election LIVE: Voters queue up outside a polling booth in Bidhan nagar

4:15 PM

West Bengal Polls: BJP is forming the government with more than 200 seats, says Amit Shah

4:06 PM

West Bengal Polls: TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty casts her vote at a polling booth

3:31 PM

TMC writes to CEO, West Bengal over "recording of phone conversation of CM Mamata Banerjee

3:22 PM

West Bengal election 2021 LIVE: 62.40% voter turnout recorded till 3:15 pm

West Bengal election 2021 LIVE: 62.40% voter turnout recorded till 3:15 pm, according to the election commission
3:19 PM

West Bengal Polls LIVE: Covid protocols being maintained at a polling station

2:25 PM

LIVE: Will find out about everyone involved in tapping my phone, order CID probe, says Mamata

Will find out about everyone involved in tapping my phone, order CID probe: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee referring to controversial audio tape
2:21 PM

West Bengal Polls LIVE: First time Voters' showcasing their inked-fingers

1:50 PM

West Bengal election 2021 LIVE: 54.67 per cent voter turnout recorded till 1:30 pm

West Bengal election 2021 LIVE: 54.67 per cent voter turnout recorded till 1:30 pm, according to the election commission
1:06 PM

Bihar: Lalu Yadav gets bail in case linked to fodder scam

Jailed Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Yadav was granted bail in a case linked to the fodder scam by the Jharkhand High Court today. The former Bihar chief minister was serving his sentence in what was known as the Dumka Treasury case, where he was convicted of withdrawing Rs 3.13 crore from the treasury in the city in Jharkhand, formerly in Bihar.
 
Yadav, currently in Delhi's AIIMS for treatment, had earlier got bail in three out of the four cases linked to the Bihar fodder scam. With the bail in the Dumka case, he can now return home after being released from hospital.
1:04 PM

Sporadic violence marks fifth phase of West Bengal election 2021

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas where polling was underway in the fifth phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, officials said. Polling was being held in 45 seats in North 24 Parganas, Purba Bardhaman and Nadia in south Bengal, and Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts in the north.

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First Published: Apr 17 2021 | 6:11 AM IST