Voting commenced on Thursday morning for the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections and the single-phase polls in Tamil Nadu, with authorities deploying extensive security arrangements across both states.
Polling began at 7 am following mock drills at several booths to ensure smooth operations. In West Bengal, voting is being held across 152 constituencies in the northern region and parts of southern districts, marking a crucial stage in the multi-phase election.
The contest in West Bengal remains sharply polarised, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) making a series of promises to sway voters in the run-up to polling day.
According to Election Commission data, around 3.60 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots in this phase. This includes approximately 1.84 crore men, 1.75 crore women and 465 third-gender voters, underscoring the scale and diversity of the electorate.
In Tamil Nadu, a total of 234 Assembly constituencies are voting in a single phase, with more than 5.73 crore electors set to decide the fate of 4,023 candidates.
The election is largely seen as a direct contest between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Chief Minister M K Stalin is seeking to retain power, while AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami is aiming for a return to government after five years in opposition.
