Polling begins for Bengal first phase electio
Sun, 04/17/2011 - 22:17
Siliguri, Apr 18 (IBNS) Polling for the first leg of the staggered six-phase West Bengal elections began at 7 am on Monday amid elaborate security arrangements in the northern districts of the state.
The balloting in the northern districts, which will continue till 5 pm, marks the beginning of the polls that will end on May 10 for the state's 294 assembly seats.A total of 54 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) are undergoing polls in the first phase in the six northern districts of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda.
In the first phase the total number of voters is 9762159 spread over 12131 polling stations.
In the first phase the total number of voters is 9762159 spread over 12131 polling stations.
A total of 346 candidates are in the fray.
While the Left traditionally sweeps the northern region undergoing polls Monday, in this election the growing strength of opposition led by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress is a big threat to the over 34-year-long Left rule now, considerably weakened by its industrialization and land acquisition policies.
The total number of voters in West Bengal taking into account all six phases is 5,60,91,973.
The counting of votes will take place on May 13.
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