A vendor arranges varied political events’ flags on the market for the upcoming West Bengal Meeting elections, in Kolkata on March 15, 2026
| Photograph Credit score: ANI
Marking a departure from the sooner pattern of multiple-phase elections, the Election Fee of India on Sunday (March 15, 2026) introduced that elections to the West Bengal Meeting might be held in two phases.
Within the first section on April 23, 152 Meeting constituencies will go to polls, and the remaining 142 constituencies will vote on April 29.
Meeting elections 2026 highlights
This can be a sharp distinction to the eight-phase Meeting election in 2021 amidst the raging COVID-19 pandemic. Meeting elections in 2016 and in 2011 have been held in six phases. The foremost political events, together with the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP), have welcomed the two-phase polls.
“What number of phases will it take for the folks of Bengal to decisively reject Bangla-Birodhi @BJP4India as soon as and for all? Reply – Jotoi Koro Hamla, #AbarJitbeBangla (the get together’s slogan for the polls) #BoycottBJP,” the Trinamool posted on social media after the announcement of Meeting elections.
President of West Bengal unit of BJP, Samik Bhattacharya, appreciated the ballot physique’s resolution. “The folks of West Bengal are able to carry down the present regime,” he mentioned.
Mr. Bhattacharya reiterated his get together’s promise of implementing the Seventh Pay Fee for the federal government workers and ₹3,000 monthly payout for girls underneath Annapurna Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme.
Whereas the elections have been introduced, the destiny of 60 lakh electors nonetheless hangs in steadiness. Although there was no phrase from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had lately noticed a five-day sit-in in protest of the electors being put underneath judicial adjudication, State secretary of the Communist Social gathering of India (Marxist) Mohammad Salim mentioned his get together will battle for the rights of the electors underneath adjudication earlier than courts.
“The Structure ensures rights to residents of this nation to contest elections. With over 60 lakh folks nonetheless underneath the Fee’s uncertain voter record, they are going to lose the chance to submit candidature, even when they seem within the supplementary record printed later. The nomination type mandates them to state their voter particulars by way of their half and serial quantity in electoral rolls, which they can not,” Mr. Salim mentioned.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, whereas asserting the elections, mentioned {that a} supplementary record of electors underneath adjudication might be printed as per directions of the Supreme Courtroom.
The Congress additionally welcomed the two-phase polls. Nevertheless, senior chief Pradip Bhattacharya expressed concern over voter intimidation.
With the dates of elections being introduced, the candidates of main political events are prone to be introduced within the subsequent few days. Round 480 corporations of Central forces have already been deployed within the State for confidence-building measures.
EC seeks rationalization
The ballot panel sought a report from Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, and the DEO (Kolkata North) over the violence within the metropolis’s Girish Park space on Saturday (March 14).
Allegations had surfaced that the residence of West Bengal Minister Shashi Panja was attacked by BJP supporters earlier than Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally. The Fee requested the Police Commissioner why Central forces weren’t seen within the space at the same time as violence continued for practically an hour.
Revealed – March 15, 2026 10:25 pm IST
