West Bengal Elections LIVE Updates:

The campaigning for the West Bengal polls has ended and the last phase of voting will take place on April 29.

Here are the highlights from the West Bengal assembly elections 2021 today:

EC issues notice to WB minister Firhad Hakim for his speech allegedly inciting violence: The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a notice to senior Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim for his speech allegedly inciting violence. He has been given 24 hours to explain his remarks. The BJP had recently moved the commission with a complaint alleging that Hakim had incited voters to carry out violence against the party.

According to a portion of his speech made part of the notice, the senior TMC leader had asked people to hit BJP members. He also made remarks against a central police force deployed in the state.

Enforcing COVID norms is responsibility of state authorities, says EC: Facing flak over its alleged failure to ensure COVID-19 appropriate behaviour during poll campaigns, the Election Commission on Tuesday said enforcing provisions of the law to fight the pandemic is the responsibility of state disaster management bodies. The commission also asserted that it has continuously directed state and district authorities to enforce instructions of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The poll panel underlined that on "no occasion" it takes over the task of a state disaster management authority (SDMA) for enforcement of instructions issued in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Time to have a rethink on multi-phase polls, says ex-CEC TS Krishnamurthy: Former Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishnamurthy has pitched for single-phase elections and substantially curtailing public campaigning time in future polls. He said public and road rallies during elections cannot be banned but the Election Commission of India (ECI) can seriously consider substantially curtailing the time and the number of days for holding such meetings as there are now alternative methods of campaigning such as digital and social media.

JP Nadda: I welcome the decision of the ECI banning celebrations and processions of electoral victories. I have directed all state units of BJP to strictly adhere to this decision. All karykartas of BJP are using their energies to help the ones in need in this hour of crisis.

The Election Commission of India on Tuesday banned all victory processions on or after the day of the counting of votes, on May 2, amid a spike in COVID-19 cases. Results of four states and a UT—West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry will be declared on May 2, Sunday.

BJP president J P Nadda, who addressed poll rallies through the day, held a press conference at a hotel in Kolkata where he defended the EC and the BJP's conduct. "Holding elections is a constitutional obligation which the Election Commission has to fulfill," he said and reminded "institutions" about the need for "modesty" of words. "Be it an institution or someone sitting in an institution, one should be mindful of modesty of words," the BJP leader said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was all bile when she demanded the withdrawal of central forces deployed for the last phase of polling on April 29, claiming nearly two lakh of them, drawn from BJP-ruled states, were spreading the disease. She claimed 75 percent of them were infected with the virus. She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of insensitivity, alleging "while mass pyres were lit at crematoriums, he was busy delivering speeches. "I welcome the Madras High Court order, which clearly said the EC cannot escape its responsibility. Both Prime Minister Modi and EC are responsible for the situation," Banerjee alleged at TMC workers meet in Kolkata where the party

candidates were present.

Election Commission of India orders repolling in polling station 126-Amtali Madhyamik Siksha Kendra in 05-Sitalkuchi Assembly constituency, to be conducted on 29th April

Campaigning ends for the final phase of the poll in WB: Campaigning for the eighth and final phase of polling for 35 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal, scheduled to be held on April 29, ended at 6.30 pm on Monday. A total 84,77,728 voters -- 43,55,835 male, 41,21,735 women and 158 of the third gender are eligible to decide the fate of 283 candidates in Thursday's polling which will be held in six constituencies of Malda, 11 in Murshidabad, seven in Kolkata North and 11 in Birbhum, Election Commission sources said.

Bengal Voter turnout till 5.30 pm: 75.06% voter turnout recorded till 5.31 pm in the seventh phase of West Bengal Assembly elections: Election Commission of India

CBI summons TMC's Anubrata Mandal in cattle smuggling case: The anti-corruption branch of the CBI on Monday summoned TMC leader Anubrata Mandal for questioning in connection with its probe into cross-border cattle smuggling. Sources said Mandal, the Birbhum district president of the TMC, has been asked to appear before officials of the central agency on Tuesday

BJP candidate Parno Mittra tests positive for COVID-19: BJP candidate Parno Mittra on Monday said she has tested positive for COVID-19. Mittra, an actor by profession, is the BJP candidate from Baranagar in North 24 Parganas where the election was held on April 17.

Mamata casts her vote, says EC should withdraw central forces: Mamata Banerjee cast her vote in Kolkata today and demanded the withdrawal of central forces to contain covid spread in West Bengal in the next phase of polling, while welcoming the Madras High Courts observations that the Election Commission could not avoid blame for the spread of Covid.

Bengal Voter turnout till 3.30 pm: 67.27% voter turnout recorded till 3.31 pm in the seventh phase of West Bengal Assembly elections

BJP Chief JP Nadda accuses Mamata of misleading people: BJP president J P Nadda Monday accused Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee of misleading people of West Bengal on various issues, ranging from "insider-outsider" to Covid vaccination during the campaigning for the assembly elections in the state. Nadda also asserted his party had upheld the culture and legacy of Bengal as against the insulting language adopted by Banerjee against the BJP leadership.

Bengal Voter turnout till 1 pm -55.12%

Dakshin Dinajpur -58.83%

Malda -58.10%

Murshidabad -60.50%

South Kolkata-41.66

paschim Bardhaman -50.47%

WB: A BJP polling agent Sankar Sakar alleges he was forcefully pushed out of booth no.91 by TMC members and made to leave the spot in Bakhra village of Ratua, Malda. A TMC member says, "He is not a voter here so we asked him to leave respectfully. Nobody threatened him."

"I am an agent at booth number 91. Members of TMC, who are residents of the village, told me that they won't let me there as I'm not a voter there. They forcefully pushed me out. I was threatened by them," the BJP polling booth agent said.

BJP's Agnimitra Paul: EC has said that you can't wear anything that has your party's symbol or a political leader's picture. This is Mamata Banerjee's trick. She knows people won't vote for her. Her time is up. The agent says that he didn't know about it. I will complain.

WB: Agnimitra Paul, BJP candidate from Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency in Paschim Bardhaman says that the TMC polling agent was wearing a cap with CM's photo on it, at a polling booth in Baktarnagar High School. She says, "Presiding officer says that he's unwell & didn't see it."

West Bengal voter turnout till 11 am - 37.72%

Dakshin Dinajpur: 39.59%

Malda: 40.15%

Murshidabad: 42.43%

South Kolkata: 27.56%

Paschim Bardhaman: 34.17%

TMC chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to vote at 3 pm today in Bhowanipore.

Nusrat Jahan Ruhi: "Wherever I've been campaigning I've seen people's support for only one face-our CM's...Why was EC sleeping all this while? When PM decided he won't hold any public meetings, EC decided to call off all public meetings. It listens to PM & HM more than anyone else."

TMC MP Nusrat Jahan Ruhi and her parents cast vote at a polling booth in Kolkata, for the seventh phase of West Bengal Elections 2021.

TMC MP Nusrat Jahan Ruhi and her parents cast vote at a polling booth in Kolkata, for the seventh phase of #WestBengalElections2021 pic.twitter.com/xmkkjbw0Gd

— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2021

Bengal voter turnout till 9 am - 17.95%

Dakshin Dinajpur - 18.70%

Malda - 18.84%

Murshidabad - 19.54%

South Kolkata - 13.09%

Paschim Bardhaman - 17.07%

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee cast his vote for the 7th phase of West Bengal Elections at Mitra Institution in Bhowanipore, Kolkata. He says, "Extremely confident that Mamata Banerjee will be back with 2/3rd majority...People are dying but EC is conducting 8-phase polls to benefit a party"

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee cast his vote for 7th phase of #WestBengalElections at Mitra Institution in Bhowanipore, Kolkata. He says, "Extremely confident that Mamata Banerjee will be back with 2/3rd majority...People are dying but EC is conducting 8-phase polls to benefit a party" pic.twitter.com/KOL3QfQc7J

— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2021

Kolkata: TMC candidate from Bhowanipore constituency, Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay cast his vote for the seventh phase of West Bengal Polls, at the polling booth at Manmatha Nath Nandan Boys And Girls School. CM Mamata Banerjee is the sitting MLA from the constituency. He says, "People will vote for Mamata Banerjee, her projects, her development has reached all homes. This election is being held on those issues. I have been in politics since 1962. This is the first time I am voting for myself.

State minister Firhad Hakim is also seeking re-election for a third consecutive term from the Kolkata Port constituency, while the BJP fielded Lt General (Retired) Subrata Saha from the Rashbehari seat in the metropolis.

Abhishek Banerjee will vote between 7-8 am at Mitra Institution on Harish Mukherjee Rd, Bhowanipore. Mamata Banerjee normally votes at around 4 pm at the same venue.

PM Modi: "The seventh phase of the West Bengal elections takes place today. Urging people to exercise their franchise and follow all COVID-19 related protocols."

Key contests: All eyes will be on the Bhowanipore constituency, of which the TMC supremo is the sitting MLA and a resident. Banerjee, however, has opted for Nandigram to contest the elections this time and reposed faith in the veteran politician and state power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay to make a hat-trick of wins for the party from Bhowanipore. Chattopadhyay is pitted against a seasoned actor but a greenhorn in electoral politics, Rudranil Ghosh, who left the ruling party a few months ago to join the BJP.

BJP candidate from Ratua constituency in Malda cast his vote for the 7th phase of West Bengal Polls, at Samsi Primary School. He says, "Ratua is the most backward constituency in Malda. The local MLA is a migrant MLA as he comes only to get votes. People have decided to go with BJP."

Voters queue up outside a polling booth in Balurghat; voting for the seventh phase of West Bengal Polls will commence at 7 am today.

Voters queue up outisde a polling booth in Balurghat; voting for the seventh phase of #WestBengalPolls will commence at 7 am today. pic.twitter.com/gGS15WvFpV

— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2021

Security measures have been heightened in view of the violence in the previous phases, particularly the death of five people in Cooch Behar in the fourth round of polling on April 10, an Election Commission official said. The poll panel has deployed at least 796 companies of central forces in the seventh phase to ensure free and fair voting, he said. It has also put in place measures to ensure strict adherence to health protocols during the election process, including wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing.

West Bengal registered its highest single-day spike of 15,889 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, while 57 more people succumbed to the virus.

Voting is being held at 12,068 polling stations spread over nine assembly constituencies each in Murshidabad and Paschim Bardhaman districts, six each in Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda and four in Kolkata, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's home turf Bhabanipur.

Polling will continue till 6.30 pm.

Elections to two assembly constituencies – Samserganj and Jangipur in Murshidabad district - have been adjourned following the death of two coronavirus-positive candidates. The EC has fixed May 16 as the date for polling in these two seats.

Six rounds of the eight-phased assembly elections in the state have already taken place, with the last phase scheduled for Thursday. Votes will be counted on Sunday.

—With inputs from agencies

(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)

First Published:Apr 26, 2021 7:48 AM IST