West Bengal Assembly Election Phase 7 Voting Percentage News Updates: Over 75 per cent turnout was recorded till 5.30 pm in 34 seats of West Bengal. Highest turnout was recorded in Murshidabad, followed by Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur, Paschim Bardhaman and Kolkata South. Mamata Banerjee’s nephew today said that he was extremely confident that chief minister will return to power with two third majority. He cast his vote in Bhabanipur constituency, which has been represented by Mamata Banerjee.
For about three dozens seats, 284 candidates are in fray and their fate will be decided by over 86 lakh voters. The Election Commission has deployed at least 796 companies of central forces in the seventh phase to ensure free and fair voting. It has also put in place measures to ensure strict adherence to health protocols during the election process, including wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing.
The voting in this phase is happening just a day after the state registered its highest single-day spike of 15,889 infection cases on Sunday. Polling is being held at 12,068 polling stations spread over nine assembly constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman districts, six each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda and four in Kolkata, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s home turf Bhabanipur.
Highlights
West Bengal Election 2021: Voting for the seventh phase of the West Bengal elections concludes.
BJP President JP Nadda: In this election, Mamata Ji tried to create false narratives. But I salute the electorate of Bengal who rejected these narratives and gave their support and blessings to BJP. This West Bengal election was unprecedented and unique in its own way. With a lot of maturity, in spite of all provocations, a high standard of electioneering maintained by the BJP. The TMC displayed the lowest level of ethics, immature, provocative electioneering. The word she (Mamata Banerjee) used along with my name...Is it culture and language of Bengal? We represent Bengali culture. With full pride, I can say that no other person lives Bengali culture as much as I do. The language used by her can't be Bengal's language.
West Bengal election 2021: 75.06% voter turnout recorded till 5.31 pm in the seventh phase of West Bengal Assembly elections.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today cast her vote at a polling booth in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur. Banerjee, a resident of Harish Chatterjee Street, exercised her franchise at a polling booth in Mitra Institution school around 3.50 pm. On a wheelchair, she briefly paused before photojournalists while coming out amid shouts of "Didi, Didi", before boarding her car. She also showed a victory sign towards the cameras. Banerjee is a two-term MLA from Bhabanipur, but is contesting the elections this time from Nandigram in the Purba Medinipur district, taking on BJP's Suvendu Adhikari.
Earlier in the day, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who is the chief minister's nephew, also voted at the same booth. TMC has fielded veteran politician Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay from Bhabanipur against BJP's celebrity candidate Rudranil Ghosh. The Left-led Sanjukta Morcha has fielded Congress's Md Shadab Khan. Bhabanipur was voting in the seventh phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal. Polling to the 294-member assembly is being held in eight phases, beginning on March 27. The votes will be counted on May 2.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today demanded withdrawal of central forces to contain covid spread in West Bengal in the next phase of polling, while welcoming the Madras High Courts observations that the Election Commission could not avoid blame for the spread of Covid. "I welcome the Madras High Court order, which clearly said the EC cannot escape its responsibility. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EC are responsible for the (current) situation (of Covid spreading in the state)," Banerjee alleged at a workers meeting in North Kolkata where party candidates and workers were present.
Earlier on Monday, Madras High Court had lashed out at the Election Commission over the conduct of Assembly polls amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice S Ramamoorthy termed the EC as most irresponsible while hearing a public interest writ seeking directions to ensure fair counting of votes on May 2 in Karur by taking steps to ensure adherence to Covid-19 protocols. "I am requesting please withdraw the around 2 lakh-strong central forces drawn from covid-hit states, who are camping in schools and colleges and safe homes hampering covid management operations 75 per cent of them may be infected by the virus. Please withdraw them in the last phase, " she said. (PTI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today demanded withdrawal of central forces to contain covid spread in West Bengal in the next phase of polling, while welcoming the Madras High Courts observations that the Election Commission could not avoid blame for the spread of Covid. "I welcome the Madras High Court order, which clearly said the EC cannot escape its responsibility. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EC are responsible for the (current) situation (of Covid spreading in the state)," Banerjee alleged at a workers meeting in North Kolkata where party candidates and workers were present.
Earlier on Monday, Madras High Court had lashed out at the Election Commission over the conduct of Assembly polls amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice S Ramamoorthy termed the EC as most irresponsible while hearing a public interest writ seeking directions to ensure fair counting of votes on May 2 in Karur by taking steps to ensure adherence to Covid-19 protocols. "I am requesting please withdraw the around 2 lakh-strong central forces drawn from covid-hit states, who are camping in schools and colleges and safe homes hampering covid management operations 75 per cent of them may be infected by the virus. Please withdraw them in the last phase, " she said. (PTI)
West Bengal Assembly elections: 67.27 per cent voter turnout recorded till 3.31 pm.
Highest polling recorded in Murshidabad while lowest in Kolkata South.
Dakshin Dinajpur: 72.70
Kolkata South: 53.05
Malda: 70.14
Murshidabad: 72.73
Paschim Bardhaman: 62.42
West Bengal phase 7 voting LIVE: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee shows victory symbol after she cast her vote at a polling station in Kolkata.
West Bengal Election 2021, phase 7 polling LIVE | Amit Malviya: "As Mamata Banerjee steps out to vote in Bhowanipore, it should serve a reminder to the people of a failed CM, who despite being in power for 10 yrs failed to provide clean drinking water to the women of WB, jobs to the youth of WB and only indulged in brazen minority appeasement."
West Bengal Election 2021 Polling LIVE: Over 55 per cent voter turnout till 1.30 pm.
Highest polling recorded in Murshidabad while lowest in Kolkata South.
Dakshin Dinajpur: 58.96
Kolkata South: 41.69
Malda: 58.16
Murshidabad: 60.53
Paschim Bardhaman: 50.78
West Bengal Election 2021: Stray incidents of violence were reported from some areas but the overall polling process has been peaceful. Voting is being held at 12,068 polling stations spread over nine assembly constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman districts, six each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda and four in Kolkata, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's home turf Bhabanipur.
A few incidents of scuffle were reported from the Asansol area, where TMC candidate Sayoni Ghosh claimed that BJP activists tried to jam booths in her constituency. The allegation was dubbed as baseless by BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul, who asserted, "Ghosh is making excuses sensing defeat".
Meanwhile, there was commotion in Rash Behari constituency after BJP candidate Lt Gen (retd) Subrata Saha's agent was accused of molesting women voters inside a polling booth.
Mohan Rao was detained after several women voters claimed he tried to drag them holding their hands inside Bidya Bharati School. Rao, however, rubbished the allegations and said no such incident had taken place.
In the Jamuria constituency, Left Front candidate Aishe Ghosh alleged that her party agents were stopped from entering the booth by TMC workers, a charge denied by the ruling party. Voting will continue till 6.30 pm. (PTI)
Amit Malviya: "Mamata Banerjee’s government is involved in an approx 5,000 crore food grain procurement scam. Farmers were not just denied Rs 18,000 under PMKSY, which we will make good as soon as the BJP comes to power, but were also not given their full due. WB needs a pro farmer government."
West Bengal Election 2021 LIVE: BJP's Amit Malviya says the people of the state has dumped the TMC. "The crest fallen faces on TMC booths in Rashbehari, Kolkata Port, Ballygunge and even Murshidabad...People have dumped the TMC and that is why they had been hoping that elections in the remaining phases get clubbed. Their attempts to dissuade people from voting has boomeranged," tweeted Malviya.
West Bengal Election Phase-7 Voting LIVE: A BJP polling agent Sankar Sakar alleges he was forcefully pushed out of booth number 91 by the TMC members and made to leave the spot in Bakhra village of Ratua, Malda. A TMC member says, "He is not a voter here so we asked him to leave respectfully. Nobody threatened him."
BJP polling agent Sankar Sakar: I am an agent at booth number 91. Members of TMC, who are residents of the village, told me that they won't let me there as I'm not a voter there. They forcefully pushed me out. I was threatened by them.
West Bengal Election 2021 Polling LIVE: Over 37.32 per cent voter turnout till 11AM.
Highest polling recorded in Murshidabad while lowest in Kolkata South.
Dakshin Dinajpur: 39.70
Kolkata South: 27.54
Malda: 39.96
Murshidabad: 42.41
Paschim Bardhaman: 34.40
West Bengal Election 2021: Agnimitra Paul, BJP candidate from Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency in Paschim Bardhaman says: TMC polling agent was wearing a cap with Chief Ministwer's photo on it at polling booth in Baktarnagar High School. Presiding officer says that he's unwell and didn't see it. The EC has said that you can't wear anything that has your party's symbol or a political leader's picture. This is Mamata Banerjee's trick. She knows people won't vote for her. Her time is up. The agent says that he didn't know about it. I will complain.
West Bengal Election LIVE: 17.47 per cent voter turnout recorded till 9:32 AM.
West Bengal Election Phase 7 Polling: TMC MP Nusrat Jahan Ruhi and her parents cast vote at a polling booth in Kolkata. "Wherever I have been campaigning I have seen people's support for only one face - our CM's. Why was the Election Commission sleeping all this while? When PM Modi decided he won't hold any public meetings, EC decided to call off all public meetings. It listens to Prime Minister and Home Minister more than anyone else: Nusrat Jahan Ruhi
Prime Minister Modi: The seventh phase of the West Bengal elections takes place today. Urging people to exercise their franchise and follow all COVID-19 related protocols.
West Bengal Election Election 2021: People queue up outside a polling booth in Murshidabad as they await their turn to cast their vote for the seventh phase of West Bengal Polls.
West Bengal Election Phase 7 Voting LIVE: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee cast his vote at Mitra Institution in Bhowanipore, Kolkata. He says, "Extremely confident that Mamata Banerjee will be back with 2/3rd majority. People are dying but EC is conducting 8-phase polls to benefit a party".
West Bengal Election Phase 7 polling: TMC candidate from Bhowanipore constituency, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, cast his vote for the seventh phase of West Bengal polls at the polling booth at Manmatha Nath Nandan Boys And Girls School. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is the sitting MLA from the constituency.
West Bengal Phase 7 Election 2021: BJP candidate from Ratua constituency in Malda cast his vote for 7th phase of West Bengal Polls, at Samsi Primary School. He says, "Ratua is the most backward constituency in Malda. The local MLA is a migrant MLA as he comes only to get votes. People have decided to go with BJP."
West Bengal Election Phase-7 Polling: Grand welcome to the Women Poling Personnel at the Model Polling Station (Birudiha Secondary School) under 276 Durgapur Purba Assembly Constituency of Paschim Bardhaman District.