Bengal election 2026 highlights: 86.9% voter turnout till 5pm; TMC holds key meet ahead of counting

Bengal election 2026 highlights: Voter turnout of 87.6% has been recorded in Magrahat Paschim and 86.11% in Diamond Harbour till 5pm, where re-polling is being held across 15 polling booths.

Bengal election 2026 LIVE

West Bengal election 2026 highlights: Voter turnout of 87.6% has been recorded in Magrahat Paschim and 86.11% in Diamond Harbour till 5pm, where re-polling is being held across 15 polling booths. According to the EC order issued on Friday for repolling, the voting was scheduled to be held between 7am to 6pm....Read More

Follow all the updates here:

• 2 May 2026, 08:17:24 PM IST

  This live blog is now closed

• 2 May 2026, 08:08:25 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Now, BJP and Congress trade barbs as repolling ends

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: As repolling commenced today across 15 booths in South 24 Parganas, the move has ignited a fierce war of words between the BJP and the Congress.

  While the BJP views the exercise as a necessary correction of electoral irregularities, the Congress has launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission's (ECI) neutrality and the heavy deployment of security forces.

  Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal defended the ECI's decision, framing the repoll as a standard procedure to ensure democratic integrity. He remained upbeat about the party's prospects across the state and beyond.

  In a starkly different tone, Congress leader TS Singh Deo condemned the atmosphere in which the elections are being held, accusing the central government of using "encounter specialists" and paramilitary forces to intimidate the electorate.

  On the other hand, Deo said, "There is a tense situation there; it has never been seen before that 3 lakh paramilitary forces have been deployed in any election."
  
  via ANI

• 2 May 2026, 07:41:08 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Mamata holds key meeting with TMC counting agents

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday told counting agents of the party during a meeting that it will secure over 200 of the 294 assembly seats, two days ahead of the counting of votes polled.

  The two leaders, who held a virtual meeting with counting agents of 291 assembly seats, also told them that they should regularly update the leadership about the prevailing situation at counting centres and must remain there till the end of the exercise.

• 2 May 2026, 07:11:42 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: 86.9% voter turnout till 5pm

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The voter turnout for the repolling across two constituencies has hit a staggering 86.9% (combined) till 5 PM on Saturday, with Diamond Harbour assembly constituency recording a turnout of 87.6% and Magrahat Paschim following with 86.11%

  Amid rain, voting is underway for the state assembly elections, with voters queuing up outside a polling station in Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district.

  The repolling on 15 booths across the two constituencies, which followed the directions from the Election Commission of India (ECI) after reports of alleged tampering with electronic voting machines (EVMs) during the second phase of Assembly elections held on April 29, is coming to a close amid heavy security deployment.

  via ANI

• 2 May 2026, 06:54:14 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Repolling at 15 booths ends in South 24 Parganas

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Repolling at 15 booths in South 24 Parganas concludes. According to the EC order issued on Friday for repolling, the voting was scheduled to be held between 7am to 6pm. According to latest data available, the voter turnout till 3pm was recorded to be nearly 72%.

• 2 May 2026, 06:38:21 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Mamata confident of winning 200 seats

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday told counting agents of the party during a meeting that it will secure over 200 of the 294 assembly seats, two days ahead of the counting of votes polled.

  The two leaders, who held a virtual meeting with counting agents of 291 assembly seats, also told them that they should regularly update the leadership about the prevailing situation at counting centres and must remain there till the end of the exercise.

  The Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) contested the remaining three seats in the Darjeeling hills.

  The two-phase assembly polls were held on April 23 and April 29, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.

  The CM, who asserted that the "TMC will at least win 200-plus seats if not more", also asked counting agents not to give importance to the "propaganda and campaign by the BJP and its allies" about the number of seats they would secure.

  She said that the TMC will stand beside counting agents who had been allegedly assaulted by central forces during voting or campaigning.

  "Do not give importance to the numerous exit polls telecast on TV channels and the social media," she told the agents, according to a senior TMC leader.

  "Such exit polls have no value. The 2021 and 2024 exit polls were way off the mark. I think most such polls are meant to influence the share market," the TMC supremo said.

  She also said that in case of any TMC candidate losing a seat by "a margin of 200-300 votes", the counting agents must insist on recounting.

  via PTI

• 2 May 2026, 06:15:37 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: ‘TMC was able to perpetrate poll violence despite high security,’ alleges Shyampukur BJP candidate

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Shyampukur BJP candidatePurnima Chakravarty responded to allegations of voter intimidation in Falta.

  “TMC was able to perpetrate poll violence despite high security,” she told reporters on Saturday, PTI news agency reported.

• 2 May 2026, 05:20:31 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: What prompted the repolling at 15 polling stations?

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The ECI had received at least 77 complaints linked to EVM tampering during the second phase of the West Bengal elections.

  Officials said that in some cases, the buttons of a political party on EVMs were covered with adhesive tape or darkened with ink, stopping voters from casting their votes. In some cases, attar was applied to the buttons so that anyone pressing them could be identified by rival parties.

• 2 May 2026, 04:54:53 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: 72.5% turnout in Magrahat Paschim, 72.36% in Diamond Harbour till 3pm

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The voter turnout for the repolling across 11 polling booths in Magrahat Paschim Assembly has hit 72.5%, while the 4 booths in the Diamond Harbour Assembly recorded a turnout of 72.36% taking the combined turnout to 72.43% till 3 PM on Saturday amid the ongoing repolling in the South 24 Paraganas district in West Bengal.

  The repolling is underway across the two constituencies, with the micro-observers keeping a close watch on the polling, while monitoring is being done from the Kolkata Election Commission office.

• 2 May 2026, 04:38:18 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: 165 additional counting observers, 77 police observers

  

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The Election Commission of India has deployed 165 additional counting observers to assist counting observers and 77 police observers to strengthen security and oversee law and order arrangements around counting centres. The vote counting will be held on May 4.

• 2 May 2026, 04:20:26 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC-BJP clashes in South 24 Parganas

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: BJP supporters in South 24 Parganas alleged that they are being prevented from voting. Supporters of the BJP and the TMC also clashed here prompting security measures to be strengthened during the repolling.

• 2 May 2026, 04:17:45 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Locals in Falta allege threats by TMC

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Chaotic scenes emerged in Falta constituency as locals got into heated arguments with the security personnel. The locals alleged that they were being threatened by the TMC, ANI roported.

• 2 May 2026, 03:50:01 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: EC deploys more counting, police observers

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has deployed additional counting, police observers in West Bengal, PTI reported.

• 2 May 2026, 03:44:58 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Lotus blooming in Bengal, says BJP MP

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Lotus is blooming in Bengal, BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said on Saturday. “This time, change is happening in Bengal; the lotus is blooming there, and a double-engine government is about to be formed,” he said. Repolling is currently underway at 15 polling booths in Bengal, while counting of votes polled in two phases will be held on May 4.

• 2 May 2026, 03:30:01 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Differently-abled voter unable to vote as caretaker denied entry into polling booth

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: A differently-abled woman was unable to cast her vote at a polling booth in Bengal's South 24 Parganas as her caretaker was not allowed into the polling booth, ANI reported.

  "No one from her family was allowed inside the polling booth... When I went in, the officer said that this would not work and when asked how a differently-abled person would cast their vote, he said that in such a case their vote would not be taken... Then why did the government make her voter ID and Aadhar card?" an eyewitness at the booth was quoted as saying.

• 2 May 2026, 03:06:29 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: ECI will take the best decision, says BJP leader

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Bengal BJP leader Rajesh Kumar said that it is the Election Commission's job to conduct election peacefully and that they will take the best decision on TMC's Supreme Court move over EC's counting supervisor decision. "It is the ECI's work to conduct the elections peacefully and they will take the best decision in the matter... All the political parties must assist the ECI in conducting a free and fair election, and obstructing their work only causes inconvenience..." Kumar said.

  He further said that the decision of repolling has been taken considering webcasting, conditions of the machines. “We hope the repolling this time completes healthily and people can use their right to vote completely.”

• 2 May 2026, 02:45:47 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: 54.6% turnout in Bengal's Diamond Harbour

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Till 1 pm, an approximate voter turnout of 54.6 per cent was recorded in the Diamond Harbour assembly constituency.

• 2 May 2026, 02:29:06 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: 56.33% voter turnout recorded in Magrahat Paschim

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Till 1 pm, an approximate voter turnout of 56.33 per cent was recorded in the Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency, according to ANI.

• 2 May 2026, 02:12:20 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: ‘BJP will form govt’, says Sukanta Majumdar

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Union minister Sukanta Majumdar on Saturday said the number of booths selected for repolling in the state was "very low", while alleging there had been "no verdict on Falta" despite complaints of irregularities.

  Reacting to the repolling across 15 booths, Majumdar alleged that several Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) had been tampered with by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

  "I think this number (15 booths) is very low and there has been no verdict on Falta. A lot of EVM buttons were tampered with there by TMC... Anyway, let the voting conclude quickly and let the people's verdict come on May 4; that is the most important thing," Majumdar told ANI.

• 2 May 2026, 02:02:51 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: What Kapil Sibal said on SC's order over TMC's plea on counting staff

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Speaking to reporters, Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate who is representing TMC, Kapil Sibal said, "...This case is an exception, and that is why I have come here. Because the mainstream media is reporting on the court case in a different way, they are reporting that our petition has been dismissed. This is wrong in itself... The TMC's claim in the High Court was that this circular is wrong... the High Court said that this circular is correct. When we came to the Supreme Court, we decided that we would not challenge the circular. But we will request the Supreme Court to implement it... The circular states that the EC has received information from many places that there are going to be some problems in every booth during the election... This is why the EC has decided that every booth will have a nominee from the central government..."

  He adds, "We stated in the Supreme Court that their own circular says if you want to keep a nominee from the central government, then do so, but keep a nominee from the state government as well. Randomise that as well... The Supreme Court noted that we were challenging the circular there, but we clarified that we are not challenging the circular anymore. We are saying that it should be implemented... Now we have hope. The Supreme Court said, and this is an order, that the EC will follow the circular issued by them both in letter and spirit... What is written is that there will be a nominee from the state government and a nominee from the central government... The mainstream media that is running it is saying that our petition has been dismissed. This is completely wrong... give them the right information..."

  (With ANI inputs)

• 2 May 2026, 01:59:03 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC's Saugata Roy says repolling 'not new'

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy on Saturday said that repolling in select booths is a routine electoral exercise, even as the Supreme Court declined to issue fresh directions on a plea related to the deployment of counting supervisors in West Bengal Assembly elections.

  "From the time that I have been following elections, repolling is done in some seats. This is not new," Roy said, downplaying concerns around the ongoing repoll in parts of the state.

• 2 May 2026, 01:35:40 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Locals hold protest in Falta, claim threats by TMC leaders

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Locals protested in the Falta area, alleging that TMC leaders were threatening them. Security personnel have been deployed there. A CRPF armoured vehicle has also been deployed in the Falta area.

• 2 May 2026, 01:27:19 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC's Shashi Panja flags fresh security issues at EVM strong room

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Shashi Panja, TMC leader and candidate from the Shyampukur constituency, arrived at the Netaji Indoor Stadium strong room in Kolkata on Saturday. Later, speaking to ANI, she said that the security personnel deployed outside did not even know that the candidate could go inside the strong room.

  “They told me that I will be allowed to go in once one of the two people who have gone inside comes out. Then the police intervened to tell them that the candidate is allowed...They don't know the rule and humiliate us every day,” she said.

  She added, “There is no use in going to the strong room now because the postal ballot trunks belonging to seven Assembly constituencies in North Kolkata came at 4 am today. But there was no representative of a political party here. It has been kept in a room which has no CCTV. When we inquired, we were told that CCTV will be installed shortly. We are still waiting, cameras have not been installed yet…”

• 2 May 2026, 01:08:01 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC files complaint against Returning Officer over ‘unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers’

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: A day after organising a sit-in over alleged irregularities in EVM strongrooms in West Bengal, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) filed an official complaint against the Returning Officer at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra on Saturday.

  The AITC claims that "unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers" occurred. The center is being used as a strongroom to store several EVMs, with counting set to take place on May 4.

  However, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the AITC have claimed irregularities in the security of the strong room, alleging that it was opened without authorization.

• 2 May 2026, 12:51:48 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Peaceful polling so far, ECI official says

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Nearly 37 per cent turnout was recorded till 11 am in repoll in 15 booths of two assembly constituencies in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, an official told news agency PTI.

  Magrahat Paschim registered 38.2 per cent voter turnout, while in Diamond Harbour, it was 35.92 per cent, a poll official stated.

  "So far, polling has been peaceful with none of the two assembly constituencies reporting any incident of violence or unrest," the EC official said.

  "We have an adequate number of central forces in the two constituencies. Webcasting is also being conducted, and we are monitoring the proceedings," he said.

• 2 May 2026, 12:28:20 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Nearly 37% voter turnout recorded across Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour till 11 am

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Nearly 37% voter turnout has been recorded in 2 assembly seats in Magrahat Paschim and Diamond Harbour, where re-polling is being held across 15 polling booths.

  Notably, till 11 am, 38.2% approximate voter turnout was recorded in Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency and 35.92% in Diamond Harbour.

• 2 May 2026, 12:13:16 PM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC flags ‘vote counting delay scam’, questions ‘delay’ for counting of votes

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC MP Saket Gokhale has raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the vote counting timetable, questioning the gap between polling and counting across several states.

  He posted on X: "The vote counting delay scam…With EVMs which are digital, why does the ECI need over 4 days for starting the counting process?

  Counting can easily begin within 48 hours of voting. Besides, counting for Assam & Kerala didn’t have to wait till 4th May (after 24 days of voting).

  Simple - it gives BJP enough time to play the markets using fake exit polls. During Lok Sabha 2024, ordinary investors lost ₹31 lakh crore after exit polls gave 400+ to NDA. The results turned out to be the opposite.

  This is a racket worth lakhs of crores & the ECI & SEBI are colluding to help BJP make money."

• 2 May 2026, 11:55:56 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: What SC said on TMC plea against EC order on vote counting

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The Supreme Court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against an Election Commission circular on the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.

  A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the Election Commission (EC) can choose counting personnel and its April 13 circular cannot be said to be incorrect.

  The poll body said the circular is very clear that there will be a mix of central and state government employees and the apprehension of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of any wrongdoing is misplaced.

  The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit.

  At the outset, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the TMC, said the circular was dated April 13, but they came to know about it on April 29.

  The bench, which held a special sitting, said that the EC can choose counting personnel from only one pool, that is from the central government, and its circular cannot be said to be incorrect.

  (With PTI inputs)

• 2 May 2026, 11:31:13 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC's Shashi Panja arrives at EVM strong room at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Shashi Panja on Saturday arrived at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, which has been converted into a strongroom for the secure storage of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) ahead of the counting of votes scheduled for May 4.

  Heavy security arrangements have been put in place at the venue, with multiple layers of barricading and personnel deployed to ensure the safety of the EVMs.

  Authorities said access to the premises is strictly regulated, with candidates and authorised agents permitted to monitor the strongroom in accordance with Election Commission guidelines.

  Panja's visit comes amid heightened political tensions following allegations of EVM tampering and the Election Commission's decision to conduct repolling in 15 booths in South 24 Parganas district.

  Earlier, Panja had alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) deliberately attempted to provoke unrest during polling to force repolling and malign the state's electoral process.

• 2 May 2026, 11:26:43 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: ‘Mamata Banerjee fighting ECI’s corrupt business', says Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: On repolling in West Bengal, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said, “EVM tampering is happening everywhere in the country. It happened in Maharashtra, it happened in Assam. But in West Bengal, TMC workers are vigilant, so re-polling is happening. Given the way Mamata Banerjee and her party are fighting the Election Commission's corrupt business, they have resorted to re-polling.”

• 2 May 2026, 11:24:28 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Amit Malviya alleges “TMC goon” scaled walls to gain access to EVM strong room

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: In a fresh claim against TMC, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya claimed that “an attempt was made by a TMC goon to scale the compound walls and gain access to a strong room housing EVMs.”

  He wrote on X: “The incident was flagged by BJP candidate Sanjay Das, raising serious concerns about the intent behind such actions. This is no ordinary facility, it contains EVMs from five crucial Assembly Constituencies: Bardhaman Uttar, Bardhaman Dakshin, Galsi, Ausgram, and Bhatar.”

• 2 May 2026, 11:12:36 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: ‘Hardly matters if nominee is from Centre’, says SC

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: While hearing the TMC's plea over the ECI circular on deploying central government staff as counting supervisors, Supreme Court Justice Bagchi said that counting would take place in the presence of every party's election agents.

  “It hardly matters if he is central govt nominee or not. It is to subjective satisfaction of ECI. Your counting agents will be there and so as others…”

• 2 May 2026, 10:53:16 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: SC records ECI statement over circular mandating state govt official during counting

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The Supreme Court recorded the Election Commission of India’s statement that the April 13 circular would be followed in letter and spirit, which mandates that at least one nominee at each counting table must be a state government official.

  With this direction, the court disposed of the plea filed by the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) against the ECI’s April 13 decision mandating at least one central government officer as counting supervisor at each counting table during counting on Monday.

• 2 May 2026, 10:42:25 AM IST

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: SC hearing on TMC's plea over counting staff begins

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The Supreme Court has commenced hearing on the TMC's plea against the Election Commission's directive to deploy central government and PSU employees for vote counting in Bengal.

• 2 May 2026, 10:33:59 AM IST

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Suvendu slams TMC over deploying contractual employees for counting duties

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday flagged concern over a notice to deploy contractual employees on duty on the day of vote counting in Pingla and Daspur constituencies.

  Adhikari accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of an attempt to manipulate the mandate and urged the Election Commission to intervene.

  In an X post, Adhikari wrote, "Is the fate of Democracy being handed over to contractual workers? It is a matter of grave concern and a direct assault on the sanctity of the democratic process. I am appalled to see the Counting Orders issued for 227-Pingla AC and 230-Daspur AC, where a significant number of Contractual and Casual Employees have been deployed for critical counting duties."

• 2 May 2026, 10:21:36 AM IST

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: EVM malfunction stops voting for an hour in Diamond Harbour

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Repolling in one of the polling booths in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district was halted for over an hour on Saturday morning after an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctioned.

  Various electors had to wait in the queue for over an hour amid the malfunction as repolling started early morning at 7 AM across 15 polling booths in the Diamond Harbour and Magrahat Paschim assembly constituencies.

  Expressing frustration over the incident, one voter asked the officials to clarify the situation or, instead, just shut the booth.

  "If it is not happening (voting), close the booth, tell us and we will go home. Why are we standing here? Why are we here? It has been more than half an hour, they should close it, so that we can go home," said the elector.

  (With ANI inputs)

• 2 May 2026, 10:08:06 AM IST

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: 15.83% voter turnout in Diamond Harbour till 9 am

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Till 9 am, an approximate voter turnout of 15.83 per cent was recorded in the Diamond Harbour assembly constituency, according to ANI.

• 2 May 2026, 10:06:46 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: 16.68% voter turnout in Magrahat Paschim constituency till 9 am

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Till 9 am, 16.68% approximate voter turnout has been recorded in Magrahat Paschim assembly constituency, as per news agency ANI.

• 2 May 2026, 10:01:32 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Voter expresses frustration over issues with EVM in South 24 Parganas

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: A voter at booth number 243, Roynagar Primary School in the Diamond Harbour constituency, complained that he had been waiting for more than half an hour as the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) had malfunctioned.

  Speaking to ANI, he said, “We have been standing here for half an hour now. We were told that there is a problem with the machine and it will be replaced. But it has been over half an hour now. But nobody has come here for that, and voting has not resumed. Give us an update; otherwise, we will go back. Nobody is telling us anything.”

• 2 May 2026, 09:51:53 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Voters complain of EVM malfunction amid repolling

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: During the West Bengal election repolling in South 24 Parganas, a voter at booth number 243, Roynagar Primary School in the Diamond Harbour constituency, complained that they had been waiting for more than half an hour as the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) had malfunctioned.

• 2 May 2026, 09:42:03 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Exit polls will prove wrong again, says Farooq Abdullah

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Friday said he has never trusted exit polls and expressed hope they would prove wrong.

  "I have never trusted exit polls. Exit polls have proved wrong in the past, and I hope they prove wrong this time," Abdullah told reporters here when asked about the exit polls giving an edge to the BJP after the assembly polls in Bengal.

• 2 May 2026, 09:24:10 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Mamata, Abhishek to hold meeting with all TMC counting agents

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will hold a virtual meeting with all counting agents of the party on Saturday afternoon, two days before the counting of votes cast in the assembly elections, a senior party leader told PTI.

  The meeting, fixed for 4 pm, will be attended by counting agents from the 291 Assembly constituencies where the ruling party fielded candidates.

  The Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) contested the remaining three seats in the Darjeeling hills.

  During the virtual meeting, the leaders are expected to brief the counting agents on their responsibilities to ensure there are no lapses during the counting process on May 4.

  "The most important instruction to the agents would be to not leave the counting centres till the calculations are officially over and winning certificates handed over to the victors," the senior Trinamool Congress leader, who did not wish to be named, said.

  "All unusual activities inside counting centres, like the sudden power cut at the Nandigram counting centre in 2021, must be immediately reported to the party's top brass," he said.

  If such a situation arises, the leader said the counting agents would have to wait for directions from the top leaders on their next course of action.

• 2 May 2026, 09:14:05 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Voters in Diamond Harbour cast votes again, say repolling is ‘fine’

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Voters in Diamond Harbour constituency in West Bengal acknowledged the irregularities with polling on April 29, and stated that re-polling held on Saturday was "fine."

  After voting at booth number 117, in Diamond Harbour constituency, a voter told ANI, "It was fine earlier too, it is fine now as well. Such things (re-polling) keep happening. There is no problem."

  Another voter at the booth stated, "The machine was malfunctioning the last time. It is fine in the re-polling."

• 2 May 2026, 09:03:49 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: SC to hear TMC’s plea over counting supervisors today

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The Supreme Court on Friday constituted a special bench to hear the TMC's plea against the Calcutta High Court's rejection of its petition over the deployment of only Central government and PSU (Public Sector Undertaking) employees as supervisors for vote counting in the West Bengal assembly elections.

  A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi will hear the plea today.

  Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

• 2 May 2026, 08:38:54 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: ‘People no longer have any faith in EC’, says Bengal Congress chief

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar on Friday sharply criticised the Election Commission (EC), accusing the polling body of working with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that this has led to a "lack of faith" in the EC.

  Speaking amid the strong room row, Sarkar claimed, "The connivance between the Election Commission and the BJP is clear. Everyone knows this. This is not fair. In fact, the Election Commission has destroyed trust in the election process. Therefore, people no longer have any faith in the Election Commission."

  Sarkar also dismissed the exit polls, labelling them as a tool for "propaganda" designed to benefit the BJP, urging people to wait for official results on May 4.

• 2 May 2026, 08:23:42 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: ‘Scared of poll defeat’, BJP's Shankar Ghosh slams TMC

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: BJP candidate from Siliguri assembly constituency Shankar Ghosh accused the Trinamool Congress of levelling false allegations against the Election Commission amid the plea challenging the deployment of only Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees as supervisors for vote counting in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

  Speaking to ANI on Friday, Shankar Ghosh attributed the TMC's allegations against the ECI to the party's 'fear of election defeat'.

• 2 May 2026, 08:12:08 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC claims 'BJP strategy' behind repolling

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shashi Panja has written to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal expressing concern over "intermittent CCTV disruptions" in strong rooms and seeking immediate access to complete surveillance records.

  In her letter dated May 1, Panja raised objections over reported interruptions in CCTV surveillance at multiple strong room locations, stating that such lapses could compromise the integrity and security of stored electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPATs.

  She cited reports of disruptions and inconsistencies from several locations, including strong rooms in Kolkata, Jalpaiguri, Gaighata Assembly constituency, Chandernagore Government College, and Jangipur Polytechnic College, among many others.

  "If full transparency is not ensured forthwith, we will be compelled to pursue appropriate agitation based on democratic principles," the letter stated.

  Speaking to news agency ANI, she said, “…This was basically the strategy of the BJP that on the day of the poll, first phase or the second phase, they would provoke the other political parties. There were incidents where they would incite some kind of trouble so that there could be a massive repoll in many more booths. We did not react to their provocation.”

  She added, “This was the strategy of the BJP. They are not prepared, they are not winning. They tried this devious strategy that lets us have a repoll in many places and defame Bengal.”

• 2 May 2026, 07:57:38 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: TMC plea over EC's central staff order for vote counting to be heard in SC today

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: The Supreme Court on Friday constituted a special bench to hear the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) plea on Saturday against the Calcutta high court's rejection of its plea that challenged the deployment of only Central government and PSU (Public Sector Undertaking) employees as supervisors for vote counting in the West Bengal assembly elections.

  A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi to hear the plea at 10:30 AM tomorrow.

  TMC, in its plea, urged the Supreme Court to take up the matter urgently, stating that vote counting in the poll-bound state is set to begin on Monday morning, and that any delay in hearing the plea would render it infructuous.

  TMC approached the Supreme Court after the Calcutta High Court rejected their plea, upholding the validity of the decision requiring Central Govt/PSU employees to count as supervisors/assistants.

  HC, in its observations, held that such appointments are within ECI's discretion and not illegal. The Court rejected apprehension that Central Govt. staff would act under political influence. Allegations were mere apprehensions without evidence.

• 2 May 2026, 07:37:43 AM IST

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Police and other security personnel deployed at booth in Diamond Harbour

  Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Police and other security personnel were seen outside a polling booth in West Bengal's Diamond Harbour, one of the two constituencies where repolling is taking place.

  A long queue of voters was seen at booth number 194, Haridevpur Primary School, in Diamond Harbour.

• 2 May 2026, 07:31:59 AM IST

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: BJP's Suvendu Adhikari backs repolling in 2 seats

  West Bengal election 2026 LIVE: Reacting to the re-polling, West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari said that he welcomed the decision and respects the EC.

  Speaking to ANI, Adhikari said, “Whatever happened at Magrahat West is welcomed. The re-polling should have happened in more booths in Diamond Harbour and in the whole of the Falta segment... There is a system and procedure which is being followed... We respect the Election Commission.”