Assam, West Bengal Assembly polls - phase II: As it happened on Monday

Pic Courtesy: AIR

Amid reports of stray incidents of violence in some pockets, an estimated 60 per cent voters on Monday exercised their franchise till 1 PM in 31 assembly constituencies in three districts of West Bengal in part two of the first phase of election.

11 April 2016

19:44 IST

"An allegation was made against BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma that he addressed a rally within 48 hours of polls, it was found to be incorrect," says EC.

19:42 IST

"Voter turnout was 82.02% in Assam at 5 pm today, this could change when final figure comes in," says the Election Commission.

19:42 IST

"Election Commission has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident that resulted in death of one person in Barpeta. In morning Assam CM addressed a press conference in Guwahati which is a violation as per RP act 126, as it may influence the voters," the EC adds.

19:40 IST

According to ANI, the Election Commission further says: "In Assam also, by and large poll was peaceful except one incident in Barpeta."

19:39 IST

In none of the polling stations in West Bengal, any type of violence or clash has taken place, says Election Commission.

19:39 IST

Polling ends in 31 assembly constituencies in West Bengal held across the three districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Burdwan today.

18:33 IST

Over 71 percent polling recorded till 3 PM in West Bengal, reports PTI.

16:02 IST

15:57 IST

Around 70 percent of the 95 lakh voters exercised their franchise amidst tight security till 3 PM during polling for the remaining 61 of the 126 Assam Assembly constituencies.

14:53 IST

An 80-year-old voter was killed and three others, including two CRPF personnel, were injured in a clash between the central forces and voters in Sorbhog contituency in Barpeta district of Assam.

14:15 IST

59.78 percent voter turnout recorded in West Bengal till 1 PM.

Over 40 percent polling recorded in Assam till noon.

13:15 IST

"I don't want to criticise PM Narendra Modi. He knows what he says is not true", says Dr Manmohan Singh.

Dr Singh says, electorates of Assam will vote for Congress for good work it has done for people of state in last 15 years.

13:14 IST

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh casts his vote in Assam's Dispur district.

12:05 IST

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi holds press meet, Election Commission calls it violation of Model Code of Conduct.

11:48 IST

36 percent polling recorded till 11 AM in Assam.

West Bengal records 39.69 percent voter turnout recorded till 11 AM.

10:49 IST

Tarun Gogoi says, "For the first time, I have seen Election Commission not being impartial in the state." 

10:11 IST

10:04 IST

AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal says his party will not strike an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress.

09:58 IST

West Bengal: 20 voter turnout recorded till 9 AM. 

Assam: 15.90 percent turnout recorded till 9 AM.

09:43 IST

Former Assam chief minister PK Mahanta casts his vote in Nagaon.

08:58 IST

Police finds two bags of bombs in Jamuria (Asansol, Bardhaman district in West Bengal).

08:56 IST

Earlier today, crude bombs were hurled in West Bengal's Bankura district by unidentified men. Fortunately nobody was hurt.

08:37 IST

CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress workers clash in Jamuria, Bardhaman district of West Bengal. News agency ANI reports that four have been injured and one is critical.

08:36 IST

Women dance and celebrate after casting their vote at a polling booth in Kokrajhar.

WATCH: Women dance and celebrate after casting their vote at a polling booth in Kokrajhar in final phase #Assamhttps://t.co/v8tMAXDvSC

— ANI (@ANI_news) April 11, 2016

08:27 IST

In the second and final phase for Assam Assembly polls, people in large numbers queue up outside a polling booth in Guwahati.

08:24 IST

West Bengal

Polling begins in 31 constituencies spread over three districts in part two of the opening phase of the West Bengal assembly elections.

Altogether 163 candidates, including 21 women, are in the fray in those 31 seats of West Midnapore, Bankura and Burdwan districts. An electorate of nearly 70 lakh (69,79,788), including 33,68,311 females and 50 third genders, are eligible to choose their representatives. 

Among the LF constituents, the CPI-M has put up 19 candidates, followed by the Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, All India Forward Bloc and the Democratic Socialist Party (Prabodh Chandra) in one each. The Congress is in the race in eight constituencies.

Repoll in two booths of Bankura and West Midnapore districts, where polling was held in the first part of the first phase poll on April 4, is also being held today.

An alliance of Left Front and Congress have put up a tough fight against Trinamool Congress which aspires to come to power for a consecutive second term.

08:21 IST

Assam

In Assam there are a total of 1,04,35,277 voters eligible to cast their ballot in the second phase. Out of this eligible voters 50,44,051 are women and 22 are third gender. More than 50,000 polling personnel have been deployed with security tightened across the constituencies, particularly those in four Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) where NDFB(S) militants are active and in Goalpara district which recently witnessed a bomb blast.

There are 525 candidates in the fray and 48 of them are women. Polling will be held in 12,699 polling stations across the state.  While Congress is contesting in 57 seats, AIUDF, the major opposition party in the outgoing assembly, in 47, BJP in 35 while its allies--the Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF) in 10 and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) in 19. CPI(M) is contesting in nine, CPI in five, unrecognised parties in 129 and independents in 214.

Prominent candidates: Congress - Rakibul Hussain, Chandan Sarkar and Nazrul Islam. 

AGP leader Prafulla Mahanta, AIUDF chief and Dhubri MP Badruddin Ajmal and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma.