New Delhi, March 15: The countdown to the West Bengal Assembly elections has officially begun. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced the election dates during a press conference on Sunday.
Kumar stated that voting will take place in two phases, on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. Adequate arrangements will be made at polling booths, and strict security measures will be in place.
According to the Election Commission, West Bengal has 64.4 million voters, including 32.8 million men, 31.6 million women, and 1,152 voters from the third gender. There are 523,000 first-time voters aged 18-19, and 13.1 million voters are between the ages of 20 and 29. Additionally, there are 379,000 voters over the age of 85, and 416,000 voters with disabilities. An awareness campaign regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) is currently underway.
It is noteworthy that the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections were conducted in eight phases, a lengthy process due to the state’s 294 seats and the need for security and law and order considerations.
In the previous elections, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee, achieved a remarkable victory, securing 215 out of 294 seats with nearly 48% of the votes. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the main opposition party, winning 77 seats. The Left Front and Congress, which have dominated Bengal’s politics for decades, suffered a historic setback, failing to win any seats. The Indian Secular Front (ISF), contesting in alliance, managed to secure one seat.
Muslims constitute approximately 30% of West Bengal’s total population. With 294 seats in the state assembly, Muslim voters play a decisive role in about 40 to 50 constituencies. Districts like Murshidabad, Malda, North Dinajpur, South 24 Parganas, and Birbhum have significant Muslim populations. In many of these constituencies, over 50% of the voters are Muslim, making their votes a critical factor in determining electoral outcomes.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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