Summary:
The Election Commission has declared all the 10,620 polling booths as sensitive and deployed around 651 companies of central forces, apart from the state police, to provide security.
A total of 210 companies of central armed police forces have been deployed in Paschim Medinipur, 199 in Purba Medinipur, 170 in South 24 Parganas, and 72 in Bankura, the officials said.
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Election Commission has banned A Raja from campaigning for 48 hours over his sexist comments.
Polling began at 7 am, including the high-profile Nandigram seat, in the second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections amid tight security.
However, incidents of violence were reported in some areas as the house of a TMC booth agent was allegedly ransacked, another was ‘forced to return home, a Trinamool worked was reportedly hacked to death in West Midnapore, and polling agents were heckled in booth number 14 of Nandigram.
Voting is underway with strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols in nine seats each in Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts, eight in Bankura, and four in South 24 Parganas.
Long queues were seen outside polling stations, where voting will continue till 6.30 pm.
More than 75 lakh voters will decide the fate of 191 candidates in 30 constituencies, as eyes are set on Nandigram where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against her former lieutenant and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari.
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