Bengal to vote in two phases: 152 seats on April 23, 142 on April 29

Kolkata: Marking a sharp drop from the eight-phase election held in the state in 2021, West Bengal in 2026 will vote in two phases for its 294 Assembly seats, with polling in 152 constituencies on April 23 and in the remaining 142 seats on April 29. The results will be declared on May 4.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced the schedule on Sunday.

The first phase on April 23 will cover 16 districts: Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda in North Bengal. The four Junglemahal districts—Bankura, Purulia, West Midnapore and Jhargram—along with Birbhum, East Midnapore, Murshidabad and West Burdwan will also vote in this phase.

The second phase on April 29 will cover eight election districts, including Kolkata North and Kolkata South.

Polling will also be held in Howrah, Hooghly, Nadia, East Burdwan, North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas.

In 2021, polling in the state was conducted over eight phases from late March to April 29. Explaining the reduction in phases, Kumar said the Commission held detailed deliberations and decided to bring down the number to a level convenient for all.

For the first phase, the last date for filing nominations is April 6, scrutiny will be held on April 7, and the last date for withdrawal is April 9. For the second phase, nominations can be filed till April 9, scrutiny will be on April 10 and withdrawal by April 13. The entire election process will conclude by May 6.

According to the final electoral roll published on February 28, West Bengal has 6.44 crore electors. The fate of around 45 lakh voters marked under adjudication remained pending till Friday evening.

“As and when the judicial officers clear the voters marked under adjudication, whatever supplementary lists are required shall be added,” Kumar said, without specifying when the process would conclude.

The Commission plans to publish the first supplementary list next week based on cases already disposed of by judicial officers. An official in the state Chief Electoral Officer’s office said the list may come after scrutiny and disposal of about one-third of nearly 60 lakh cases.

Voters excluded from the roll will have the opportunity to approach the Appellate Tribunal, as per a recent Supreme Court order. However, no decision has yet been taken on the tribunal’s constitution, number of benches or location.

Kumar also addressed concerns over poll violence and said action would be taken against police officers found involved in violence during earlier elections.

Interestingly, West Bengal is witnessing a two-phase Assembly election after nearly 50 years. The last such instance was in 1977, when polling was held in two phases in June.

Constituencies in First Phase (April 23) polls:

Cooch Behar (9 seats)

Mekliganj, Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar North, Cooch Behar South, Sitalkuchi, Sitai, Dinhata, Natabari, Tufanganj.

Alipurduar (5 seats)

Kumargram, Kalchini, Alipurduar, Falakata, Madarihat.

Jalpaiguri (7 seats)

Dhupguri, Maynaguri, Jalpaiguri, Rajganj, Dabgram–Phulbari, Mal, Nagrakata.

Darjeeling and Kalimpong (6 seats)

Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Kurseong, Matigara–Naxalbari, Siliguri, Phansidewa.

Uttar Dinajpur (9 seats)

Chopra, Islampur, Goalpokhar, Chakulia, Karandighi, Hemtabad, Kaliaganj, Raiganj, Itahar.

Dakshin Dinajpur (6 seats)

Kushmandi, Kumarganj, Balurghat, Tapan, Gangarampur, Harirampur.

Malda (12 seats)

Habibpur, Gazole, Chanchal, Harishchandrapur, Malatipur, Ratua, Manikchak, Maldah, English Bazar, Mothabari, Sujapur, Baishnabnagar.

Murshidabad (22 seats)

Farakka, Samserganj, Suti, Jangipur, Raghunathganj, Sagardighi, Lalgola, Bhagabangola, Raninagar, Murshidabad, Nabagram, Khargram, Barwan, Kandi, Bharatpur, Rejinagar, Beldanga, Berhampore, Hariharpara, Naoda, Domkal, Jalangi.

Purba Medinipur (16 seats)

Tamluk, Panskura East, Panskura West, Moyna, Nandakumar, Mahishadal, Haldia, Nandigram, Chandipur, Patashpur, Contai North, Bhagabanpur, Khejuri, Contai South, Ramnagar, Egra.

Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram (19 seats)

Dantan, Nayagram, Gopiballavpur, Jhargram, Keshiary, Kharagpur Sadar, Kharagpur, Narayangarh, Sabang, Pingla, Debra, Daspur, Ghatal, Chandrakona, Garbeta, Salboni, Keshpur, Medinipur, Binpur.

Purulia (9 seats)

Bandwan, Balarampur, Baghmundi, Joypur, Purulia, Manbazar, Kashipur, Para, Raghunathpur.

Bankura (12 seats)

Saltora, Chhatna, Ranibandh, Raipur, Taldangra, Bankura, Barjora, Onda, Bishnupur, Kotulpur, Indas, Sonamukhi.

Paschim Bardhaman (9 seats)

Pandaveshwar, Durgapur East, Durgapur West, Raniganj, Jamuria, Asansol North, Asansol South, Kulti, Barabani.

Birbhum (11 seats)

Dubrajpur, Suri, Bolpur, Nanoor, Labpur, Sainthia, Mayureswar, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati, Murarai.

Constituencies in Second Phase (April 29) polls:

Nadia (17 seats)

Karimpur, Tehatta, Palashipara, Kaliganj, Nakashipara, Chapra, Krishnanagar North, Nabadwip, Krishnanagar South, Santipur, Ranaghat North West, Krishnaganj, Ranaghat North East, Ranaghat South, Chakdaha, Kalyani, Haringhata.

North 24-Parganas (33 seats)

Bagda, Bongaon North, Bongaon South, Gaighata, Swarupnagar, Baduria, Habra, Ashoknagar, Amdanga, Bijpur, Naihati, Bhatpara, Jagaddal, Noapara, Barrackpore, Khardaha, Dum Dum North, Panihati, Kamarhati, Baranagar, Dum Dum, Rajarhat–New Town, Bidhannagar, Rajarhat Gopalpur, Madhyamgram, Barasat, Deganga, Haroa, Minakhan, Sandeshkhali, Basirhat South, Basirhat North, Hingalganj.

South 24-Parganas (31 seats)

Gosaba, Basanti, Kultali, Patharpratima, Kakdwip, Sagar, Kulpi, Raidighi, Mandirbazar, Joynagar, Baruipur East, Canning West, Canning East, Baruipur West, Magrahat East, Magrahat West, Diamond Harbour, Falta, Satgachia, Bishnupur, Sonarpur South, Bhangar, Kasba, Jadavpur, Sonarpur North, Tollygunge, Behala East, Behala West, Maheshtala, Budge Budge, Metiabruz.

Kolkata (11 seats)

Kolkata Port, Bhowanipore, Rashbehari, Ballygunge, Chowringhee, Entally, Beleghata, Jorasanko, Shyampukur, Maniktala, Kashipur–Belgachia.

Howrah (16 seats)

Bally, Howrah North, Howrah Central, Shibpur, Howrah South, Sankrail, Panchla, Uluberia East, Uluberia North, Uluberia South, Shyampur, Bagnan, Amta, Udaynarayanpur, Jagatballavpur, Domjur.

Hooghly (18 seats)

Uttarpara, Srirampur, Champdani, Singur, Chandannagar, Chinsurah, Balagarh, Pandua, Saptagram, Chanditala, Jangipara, Haripal, Dhanekhali, Tarakeswar, Pursurah, Arambagh, Goghat, Khanakul.

East Burdwan (16 seats)

Khandaghosh, Bardhaman South, Raina, Jamalpur, Monteswar, Kalna, Memari, Bardhaman North, Bhatar, Purbasthali South, Purbasthali North, Katwa, Ketugram, Mangalkot, Ausgram, Galsi.