Over 3.2 crore voters to decide fate of 1,448 candidates in second phase West Bengal polls

Voting for the intense electoral battle in West Bengal will conclude on Wednesday with over 3.22 crore voters eligible to exercise their franchise in the second phase of assembly polls on 142 seats.

Voting for the intense electoral battle in West Bengal will conclude on Wednesday with over 3.22 crore voters eligible to exercise their franchise in the second phase of assembly polls on 142 seats. The first phase of elections on April 23 had seen a record 91.78 per cent polling. The voting on Wednesday will decide electoral fate of 1,448 candidates, which includes 1,228 men and 220 women. Election Commission has made all arrangements for smooth conduct of polling process.

Of over 3.22 crore total voters, 3.21 crore are general electors and nearly 40,000 are service voters. There are 1.64 crore male electors and 1.57 crore female electors and 792 have been identified as third gender. Over 4.12 lakh voters are in the 18-19 age bracket and over 3,200 voters are 100 years and above. There are over 57,000 voters with disabilities (PWD). The Election Commission has set up 41,001 polling stations for smooth conduct of elections. These include 39,301 main stations and 1700 auxiliary stations.

There are 8,845 all-women managed stations, 13 PWD-managed stations, and 258 "model" polling stations. There will be webcasting from all 41,001 polling stations. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is in the fray in the second phase of polls from Bhabanipur assembly constituency. She is being challenged by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who is also contesting from Nandigram. The campaigning for the second and final phase of the assembly elections in Bengal ended on Monday.

The results will be declared on May 4, along with outcome of assembly polls in Assam, Keralam, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. (ANI)