West Bengal votes in sixth phase of assembly polls: All you need to know

• Polling began at 7 am for 43 seats in the sixth phase of assembly election in West Bengal. Voting began amid a surge in Covid-19 cases with the state reporting record infections. Long queues were seen outside most of the polling booths even before the voting began. Voting, which will continue till 6.30 pm, is being held in 14,480 polling stations. Elections are being held in North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Uttar Dinajpur, Purba Bardhaman. Over 1.03 crore voters will decide the political fate of 306 candidates in this phase. Around 1,071 companies of central forces deployed to ensure free and fair voting. Elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly are being held in eight phases. Votes will be counted on May 2 with the last phase scheduled to be held on April 29. West Bengal has been reporting a record number of Covid cases over the past few days. The state breached the 10,000-mark of daily Covid infections on Wednesday. Bengal registered its highest single-day spike of 10,784 fresh cases with 58 deaths.