New Delhi/Kolkata, 29 April (H.S.): Voting for the second and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections commences today at 7 a.m. across 142 seats in seven districts, backed by unprecedented security arrangements. The India Meteorological Department has forecasted thunderstorms accompanied by rain in all polling districts today.

Nevertheless, the Election Commission remains confident that voter turnout in this phase will surpass previous figures, potentially setting a new record. In the first phase on April 23, a record 93.19% polling occurred peacefully across 152 seats in 16 districts, most of which were in North Bengal.

Today's voting covers seven districts in South Bengal: Kolkata, Howrah, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Nadia, and Purba Bardhaman. The Commission has emphasized stringent measures to ensure peaceful polling in these areas. A total of 2,231 companies of central forces—equating to over 200,000 personnel—will be deployed, supplemented by approximately 40,000 state police personnel on high alert. Kolkata will see the highest deployment with 273 companies.

In the first phase, CCTV cameras were installed inside and outside polling stations. For this final phase, security has been intensified further with CCTV coverage along approach roads to booths. Surveillance will also be conducted via drones. The number of police observers has been increased from 84 to 95.

All eyes will be on the Bhabanipur seat in Kolkata, where Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee faces a challenge from Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who is also contesting from Nandigram—where voting occurred in the first phase.

This second and concluding phase features 1,448 candidates in total, including prominent figures such as Firhad Hakim, Arup Biswas, Javed Khan, Sujit Bose, Shashi Panja—several ministers in the Mamata government—West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar, fiery CPI(M) leader Minakshi Mukherjee, and Deepshita Dhar. Among them are also Rekha Patra, mother of the doctor who was raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital, and the face of the Sandeshkhali agitation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar