The states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry will go for the poll in a single phase whereas Assam and West Bengal will have the Third phase.
The high-pitch campaign for the Assembly election in states of Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, West Bengal and Union Territory of Puducherry come to an end on Sunday. The states will go for a poll tomorrow. All the states will go for a poll in one shot except Assam and West Bengal which will witness the third phase of polling.
A total of 832 companies of central security forces have been deployed in the constituencies to ensure a peaceful election. Out of these, 214 companies of Quick Response Teams (QRTs) will be present in the third phase. The voting in this phase of elections will be held in 31 Assembly constituencies in three districts – eight in Hooghly, seven in Howrah and 16 in South 24 Parganas. 307 companies have been deployed in the South 24 Parganas, while 167 companies have been deployed in the rural areas of the Hooghly district police department. Furthermore, 144 companies have been deployed in the Howrah district.
The Kerala Assembly election will be held in a single phase on Tuesday, 6 April. A total of 140 seats will go to polls across the state, and a three-cornered fight between the incumbent Left-led LDF, the Congress-led UDF, and the BJP is likely.
According to an integrated list published on 20 March, there are a total of 2,74,46,039 voters eligible to exercise their franchise in the upcoming Assembly polls.
In Tamil Nadu, Over 6.28 crore eligible voters will choose 234 members of the 3,998 candidates contesting the elections.
The third and final phase of the Assam Assembly election will be held on Tuesday, 6 April. The fate of 337 candidates, including state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will be decided by voters in 40 constituencies.
Here are the Live Updates:
- By 11.30 am, 34.71% of the voting had taken place in Bengal. Puducherry recorded the highest turnout of 35.59% during this period. Tamil Nadu recorded 20.84%, Kerala 30.01% and Assam 33.18%.
- In Bengal, BJP has alleged that TMC goons were not allowing people to vote in Baduldanga. BJP candidate Deep Haldar from Diamond Harbor seat of South 24 Parganas has complained to the Election Commission.
- EVM and VVPAT have been recovered from TMC leader’s house in Ulubedia, Bengal. In this case, the Election Commission has suspended the sector officer Tapan Sarkar. The Commission has stated that these were reserves EVMs and VVPATs, which have now been withdrawn from the election process. Strict action will be taken against all those involved in this case.
- Violence has taken place before voting in Bengal. In the Canning West assembly constituency of South 24 Parganas, a BJP worker was beaten up allegedly by the TMC. On the other hand, the ISF and TMC workers clashed with each other in Canning East of Durgapur. At the same time, BJP has accused TMC of tearing up posters in the Raidighi assembly constituency.
- Metroman E. Sreedharan arrived at the Ponnani polling station in Kerala to cast his vote. He is also a BJP candidate from Palakkad. E Sreedharan said after casting a vote that he would win by a large margin. His entry into the BJP has given the party a new image.
- Kamal Haasan, Chief of Makkal Nidhi Mayyam (MNM) arrived at the Chennai High School polling station to cast his vote. He is also contesting from the Coimbatore South seat. South superstar Rajinikanth reached the polling booth at Stella Maris, Chennai.
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