West Bengal to vote in six phases, results on May 19

The assembly polls in West Bengal will be held in six phases. The counting of votes will be held on May 19.

Voting will be held in two parts in the first phase on April 4 (18 seats) and April 11 (31 seats) as the seats fall under the Naxal affected areas.

Voting in second phase will be held on April 17, third phase on April 21, fourth phase on April 25, fifth phase on April 30 (53 seats), sixth phase on May 5 (25 seats).

West Bengal has 294 assembly constituencies. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has maintained that she is confident of winning the elections despite CPI(M) joining hands with the Congress in the state for the polls. TMC contested the last assembly elections in in the state in alliance with the Congress and swept the state.

However, Congress may forge an electoral-arrangement with the Left to challenge Mamata Banerjee in the upcoming polls. Left-Congress will not hold joint elections rallies but may not field candidates against one other to consolidate anti-TMC votes.

BJP which won two Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in 2014 is attempting to make inroads in the Left bastion.

First phase to include LWE areas

Two polling dates for Phase 1:

Polling on first date in 18 constituencies

Issue of notification: March 11

Last date for nomination: March 18

Scrutiny: March 19

Last date for withdrawal of candidature: March 21

Date of poll: April 4, Monday

Second polling date:

31 constituencies

Issue of notification: March 14

Last date for nomination: March 21

Scrutiny: March 22

Last date for withdrawal of candidature: March 26

Date of poll: April 11, Monday

Second phase:

56 seats

Issue of notification: March 22

Last date for nomination: March 29

Scrutiny: March 30

Last date for withdrawal of candidature: April 1

Date of poll: April 17, Sunday

Third phase:

62 constituencies

Issue of notification: March 28

Last date for nomination: April 4

Scrutiny: April 5

Last date for withdrawal of candidature: April 7

Polling on April 21, Thursday

Fourth phase

49 seats

Issue of notification: April 1

Last date for nomination: April 8

Scrutiny: April 9

Last date for withdrawal of candidature: April 11

Date of poll: April 25, Monday

Fifth phase

53 assembly constituencies

Issue of notification: April 4

Last date for nomination: April 11

Scrutiny: April 12

Last date for withdrawal of candidature: April 16

Date of poll: April 30, Saturday

Sixth phase:

25 Assembly constituencies

Issue of notification: April 11

Last date for nomination: April 18

Scrutiny: April 19

Last date for withdrawal of candidature: April 21

Date of poll: May 5, Thursday