The West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 Phase 1 begins April 23 across 152 constituencies. The polling started at 7 AM in 16 districts of West Bengal. This is Phase 1 of what the Election Commission has called one of the most closely watched state elections in India this decade.
Over 3.6 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes today. The Election Commission has put the exact figure at 3,60,77,171 — of which 1,84,99,496 are male, 1,75,77,210 are female, and 465 identify as third-gender. These numbers may be revised once tribunal-pending voter registrations are finalized.
Phase 2 follows on April 29 for the remaining 142 constituencies. Results for all 294 seats will be declared on May 4, 2026.
West Bengal has been here before — long queues, tense mornings, police deployments, and accusations flying between Trinamool and BJP. But 2026 feels different. There's a 15-year incumbency factor weighing on Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, and a BJP that has been quietly rebuilding from its 2021 defeat.
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What's At Stake?
The 2021 verdict was decisive. TMC won 215 of 294 seats with 48% of the vote. BJP got 77 seats. Left-Congress was effectively wiped out.
Five years later, the ground has shifted. Anti-incumbency has been building around issues of unemployment, women's safety following a string of high-profile cases, corruption allegations in government schemes, and what critics call a culture of political violence in the state.
BJP has gone all out. Union Home Minister Amit Shah held multiple rallies in the state and made direct promises to voters: Rs 9,000 annually for farmers, Rs 3,000 per month for women, and Rs 3,000 for unemployed youth. He also attacked what he called "Love Jihad and Land Jihad" — language clearly aimed at consolidating Hindu votes in sensitive constituencies.
TMC has countered by pointing to its welfare record — Lakshmir Bhandar, Kanyashree, Swasthya Saathi — and projecting Mamata Banerjee as the only leader capable of resisting central overreach in Bengal.
The third front — a Left-Congress alliance — is not expected to win large numbers, but it could damage TMC in certain pockets, particularly in its traditional bastions of Murshidabad and Malda.
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Security: Over 8,000 'Super-Sensitive' Booths
The Election Commission isn't taking chances. For Phase 1 alone, more than 8,000 booths have been classified as super-sensitive. Multi-layer security arrangements are in place, including central armed police forces, state police, quick response teams, and flying squads.
This is not just precaution. Bengal's election history carries the weight of repeated violence. In 2021, post-poll violence led to deaths and mass displacement of political workers. The Supreme Court at one point had to intervene. This time, the Election Commission was more proactive in deployment planning.
The Supreme Court itself has been watching. Just weeks before voting, it came down hard on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for allegedly interrupting an ED raid in January 2026. The bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and N.V. Anjaria made pointed remarks, saying the issue is not a centre-state dispute but a question of rule of law.
That remark went viral across Bengal's political circles.
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The Controversy That Overshadowed Campaigning
Before a single vote was cast, a massive controversy erupted over the voter list itself.
According to the Election Commission, over 91 lakh voters — around 91,02,577 — were removed from the rolls between October 2025 and the final list. The total eligible voter base shrank by nearly 12%, from 7.66 crore to 6.75 crore.
TMC called it voter suppression. Party leaders alleged that Muslim voters and minorities in particular had been deleted, alleging political manipulation. The BJP denied any wrongdoing, and the EC said the exercise was a Special Intensive Revision to clean up duplicate, deceased, and shifted entries.
This controversy never fully settled. As of today, many people in border districts are unsure whether their names are on the list. At several booths in Malda and Murshidabad, voters are expected to face difficulties — a ready-made flashpoint.
Key Constituencies to Watch in Phase 1
The 16 districts going to polls in Phase 1 include parts of North Bengal — Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling — as well as Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, and parts of South Bengal.
Darjeeling remains politically interesting. It's Gorkha territory, with the GJM historically holding sway. But alliances have shifted and BJP had won here in 2021. This time the seat is in play again.
Murshidabad — historically TMC territory but with a strong Muslim voter base — is where the voter list controversy bites hardest. If turnout drops in this district, TMC will feel it on May 4.
Cooch Behar has seen repeated TMC-BJP clashes since 2021. The memory of the CISF firing at Sitalkuchi polling station during the 2021 elections hasn't fully faded. Security there is visibly heavy today.
The Campaign: What Both Sides Said in the Final Hours
The 48-hour campaign silence kicked in on April 21 evening. In the last stretch of rallies before that, the messaging from both camps was sharpened to a fine edge.
Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of "importing outsiders" — a reference to central leaders parachuting in for rallies — and said Bengalis would reject such "colonial politics." She said the people of Bengal have already seen what "Modi sarkar" did for five years in terms of denying dues to the state.
The BJP went with a simple three-point attack: 15 years of TMC means corruption, violence, and unemployment. Amit Shah's rallies carried energy but also controversy — his remarks on "Love Jihad" drew sharp criticism from opposition parties who said the Home Minister was polarizing the electorate.
The Left-led alliance largely stayed away from identity politics, focusing on unemployment and economic distress. They're playing for the long game — a respectable vote share to position themselves as a credible alternative if TMC weakens.
What India Is Watching — and Why This Election Matters Nationally
Bengal is not just a state election. It's a political bellwether for the BJP's expansion into eastern India. Winning Bengal would give the party a symbolic and strategic breakthrough — a state that has historically resisted it.
For TMC, this is existential. Losing Bengal means Mamata Banerjee's national ambitions — she's positioned herself as a key opposition voice — take a severe hit. She can't credibly lead a national alternative while losing her home state.
The election also comes at a time when opposition parties are scattered. The INDIA bloc has largely fragmented at the national level, and Bengal is a test of whether regional outfits can still hold their ground against a well-resourced BJP machinery.
Ground Reality
At a booth in Berhampore in Murshidabad, a group of women waited since 6:30 AM, well before voting opened. "We voted for Didi last time, but whether we do again — we'll see," said one woman who refused to give her name. Across the state, similar sentiments are emerging: TMC still has a base, but it is not as solid as in 2021.
In North Bengal's tea garden constituencies, workers say they care more about jobs and better wages than about who the local MLA is. These are constituencies where the outcome is genuinely unpredictable.
Dry day is in effect across all polling districts. Liquor shops shut, which usually reduces some of the booth-capture tension seen in past elections. Whether it's enough remains to be seen.
What Comes Next
- April 29: Phase 2 voting across remaining 142 seats
- May 4: Vote counting begins; results expected by evening
- May 7: Current assembly's term expires
The numbers from today's turnout will give the first real indication of which way Bengal is leaning. A high turnout in Murshidabad and Malda generally favors TMC. A high turnout in North Bengal and Junglemahal typically benefits BJP.
As this article is being written, polling is underway and initial reports suggest peaceful but cautious voting in most areas.
Expert Perspective
Political analysts tracking Bengal elections have consistently said that the 2026 election is not like 2021. "In 2021, Mamata Banerjee ran as someone fighting for Bengal's dignity against the Centre. That narrative is harder to sustain when you've been in power for 15 years and voters are asking about unemployment and crime," said a senior academic at Jadavpur University who did not want to be named.
Whether the incumbent TMC's deep network can overcome a structurally stronger BJP challenge is the central question. On May 4, Bengal — and the rest of India — will have the answer.
FAQs
Q1: When is West Bengal Election Phase 1 happening? April 23, 2026. Phase 2 is on April 29.
Q2: How many seats are going to poll in Phase 1? 152 constituencies spread across 16 districts.
Q3: When will West Bengal election 2026 results come? Results will be declared on May 4, 2026.
Q4: How many voters are eligible in Phase 1? Over 3.6 crore (3,60,77,171) voters as per the Election Commission.
Q5: What is the voter list controversy in Bengal 2026? Over 91 lakh names were deleted from voter rolls during the Special Intensive Revision, which TMC alleged targeted minority and opposition voters.
Q6: Who are the key parties contesting in West Bengal Election 2026? Trinamool Congress (TMC), BJP, and the Left-Congress alliance are the main contestants across all 294 seats.
Sources
- DD News / News on Air (Government)
- Election Commission of India (via Wikipedia/official statements)
- ANI