Bengal to witness 8-phase polls starting Mar 27, results on May 2

Kolkata: Bengal Assembly elections will be held in eight phases from March 27 to April 29, making it the longest-ever polls in the state. The counting will take place on May 2.

Among the 294 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) in the state, 30 ACs will go for polls on March 27 in the first phase. In the second phase, polling will be conducted in 30 ACs on April 1. As many as 31 ACs will go to polls on April 6 in the third phase.

On April 10, 44 ACs will go to polls in the fourth phase. Polling will be held in 45 ACs on April 17 in the fifth phase. As many as 43 ACs will go to polls on April 22 in the sixth phase.

On April 26, polls will be held in 36 ACs in the seventh phase. In the ultimate phase (eighth phase), 35 ACs will go to polls on April 29.

Purulia, Jhargram and parts of Bankura, East Midnapore and West Midnapore will go to polls on March 27. The ACs include Patashpur, Kanthi Uttar, Bhagabanpur, Khejuri (SC), Kanthi Dakshin, Ramnagar, Egra, Dantan, Nayagram (ST), Gopiballavpur, Jhargram, Keshiary (ST), Kharagpur, Garbeta, Salboni. Medinipur, Binpur (ST), Bandwan (ST) Balarampur, Baghmundi, Joypur, Purulia, Manbazar (ST), Kashipur, Para (SC), Raghunathpur (SC), Saltora (SC), Chhatna, Ranibandh (ST) and Raipur (ST).

On April 1, the rest of Bankura, East Midnapore, West Midnapore and a part of South 24-Parganas will go for polls. The ACs covered are Gosaba (SC), Patharpratima, Kakdwip, Sagar, Tamluk, Panskura Purba, Panskura Paschim, Moyna, Nandakumar, Mahisadal, Haldia (SC), Nandigram, Chandipur, Kharagpur Sadar, Narayangarh, Sabang, Pingla, Debra, Daspur, Ghatal (SC), Chandrakona(SC), Keshpur (SC), Taldangra, Bankura, Barjora, Onda, Bishnupur, Katulpur (SC), Indus (SC) and Sonamukhi (SC).

Parts of Howrah, Hooghly and South 24-Parganas that covers 31 ACs will witness the polls on April 6. The ACs are Basanti (SC), Kultali (SC), Kulpi, Raidighi, Mandirbazar (SC), Jaynagar (SC), Baruipur Purba (SC), Canning Paschim (SC), Canning Purba, Baruipur Paschim, Magrahat Purba (SC), Magrahat Paschim, Diamond Harbour, Falta, Satgachia, Bishnupur (SC), Uluberia Uttar (SC), Uluberia Dakshin, Shyampur, Bagnan, Amta, Udaynarayanpur, Jagatballavpur, Jangipara, Haripal, Dhanekhali (SC), Tarakeshwar, Pursurah, Arambag (SC), Goghat (SC) and Khanakul.

Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and parts of Howrah, Hooghly and South 24-Parganas will have polling on April 10 with 44 ACs being covered, including Mekhliganj (SC), Mathabhanga (SC), Cooch Behar Uttar (SC), Cooch Behar Dakshin, Sitalkuchi(SC), Sitai (SC), Dinhata, Natabari, Tufanganj, Kumargram(ST), Kalchini (ST), Alipurduar, Falakata (SC), Madarihat (ST), Sonarpur Dakshin, Bhangar, Kasba, Jadavpur, Sonarpur Uttar, Tollygunj, Behala Purba, Behala Paschim, Maheshtala, Budge Budge, Metiaburuz, Bally, Howrah Uttar, Howrah Madhya, Shibpur, Howrah Dakshin, Sankrail (SC), Panchla, Uluberia Purba, Domjur, Uttarpara, Sreerampore, Champdani, Singur, Chandannagar, Chinsurah, Balagarh (SC), Pandua, Saptagram and Chanditala.

Forty-five ACs in districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and parts of North 24-Parganas, Nadia and East Burdwan will have polls on April 17. The ACs are Dhupguri (SC), Maynaguri (SC), Jalpaiguri (SC), Raiganj (SC), Dabgram-Fulbari, Mal (ST), Nagrakata (ST), Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Kurseong, Matigara-Naxalbari (SC), Siliguri, Phansidewa (ST), Santipur, Ranaghat Uttar Paschim, Krishnaganj (SC), Ranaghat Uttar Purba (SC), Ranaghat Dakshin (SC), Chakdah, Kalyani (SC), Haringhata (SC), Panihati, Kamarhati, Baranagar, Dum Dum, Rajarhat-Newtown, Bidhannagar, Rajarhat- Gopalpur, Madhyamgram, Barasat, Deganga, Haroa, Minakhan (SC), Sandeshkhali (ST), Basirhat Dakshin, Basirhat Uttar, Hingalganj (SC), Khandagosh (SC),

Bardhaman Dakshin, Raina (SC), Jamalpur (SC), Monteshwar, Kalna (SC), Memari and Bardhaman Uttar (SC).

The sixth phase on April 22 will cover Uttar Dinajpur, and parts of North 24-Parganas, Nadia and West Burdwan.

The ACs include Chopra, Islampur, Goalpokhor , Chakulia, Karandighi, Hemtabad (SC), Kaliganj (SC), Raiganj, Itahar, Karimpur, Tehatta, Palashipara, Kaliganj, Nakashipara, Chapra, Krishnanagar Uttar, Nabadwip, Krishnanagar Dakshin, Bagda (SC), Bongaon Uttar (SC), Bongaon Dakshin (SC), Gaighata (SC), Swarupnagar (SC), Baduria, Habra, Ashoknagar, Amdanga, Bijpur, Naihati, Bhatpara, Jagatdal, Noapara, Barrackpur, Khardah, Dum Dum Uttar, Bhatar, Purbasthali Dakshin, Purbasthali Uttar, Katwa, Ketugram, Mangalkot, Ausgram (SC) and Galsi (SC).

The seventh phase that will be held on April 26 will cover Dakshin Dinajpur, Kolkata South, Dakshin Dinajpur, parts of Malda and Murshidabad. The ACs include Kushmandi (SC), Kumarganj, Balurghat, Tapan (ST), Gangarampur (SC), Harirampur, Habibpur (ST), Gazole (SC), Chanchal, Harishchadrapur, Malatipur, Ratua, Farakka, Samserganj, Suti, Jangipur, Raghunathganj, Sagardighi, Lalgola, Bhagawangola, Raninagar, Murshidabad, Nabagram (SC), Kolkata Port, Bhowanipore, Rashbehari, Ballygunj, Pandebeshwar, Durgapur Purba, Durgapur Paschim, Raniganj, Jamuria, Asansol Dakshin, Asansol Uttar, Kulti and Barabani.

The last phase will cover Kolkata North, Birbhum and parts of Murshidabad and Malda, The ACs include Manikchak, Malda (SC), English Bazar, Mothabari, Sujapur, Baishnabnagar, Khargram (SC), Burwan (SC), Kandi, Bharatpur, Rejinagar, Beldanga, Baharampur, Hariharpara, Nowda, Domkal, Jalangi, Chowrangee, Entally, Beliaghata, Jorasanko, Shyampukur, Maniktala, Kashipur-Belgachia, Dubrajpur (SC), Suri, Bolpur, Nanoor (SC), Labpur, Sainthia (SC), Mayureshwar, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati, and Murarai.

The total number of electors is over 7.32 crore with the number of polling stations being 101916, increased from 77413 (in the 2016 Assembly polls).

CEO Bengal Ariz Aftab said all polling booths will be located at the ground floor in this year's election to facilitate voting for the elderly and the physically challenged, as per directions of the Election Commission.

"Out of the 101916 polling stations around 6,000 booths are extremely sensitive, which is only 0.6 per cent. In Bihar where the election was held in October last year, 6,000 booths out of 31380 were highly sensitive. The election was held in three phases in Bihar but here in Bengal it is being held in eight phases," said TMC leader Bratya Basu.