West Bengal Elections 2026 LIVE Phase 1: 18.76% Turnout by 9 AM, Crude Bomb in Murshidabad, TMC vs BJP Battle

West Bengal Elections 2026 LIVE — Phase 1: Bengal Votes in High-Stakes TMC vs BJP Battle

April 23, 2026 | LIVE UPDATES | West Bengal | ViralDose

🔴 PHASE 1 VOTING IS UNDERWAY — Polls open from 7 AM to 6 PM

West Bengal is voting today — and as always, Bengal does nothing quietly. The first phase of the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections is underway across 152 constituencies, with more than 3.60 crore eligible voters deciding the future of the state. From the misty tea gardens of Darjeeling to the politically charged banks of the Murshidabad district, Bengal is making its voice heard — though not without controversy, incidents, and the raw political electricity that defines every election in this state.

Elections are scheduled to be held in West Bengal on April 23 and April 29, 2026, to elect all 294 members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. The votes will be counted and the results will be declared on May 4, 2026. 

📊 LIVE VOTER TURNOUT — 9 AM Update

The voter turnout in West Bengal Phase 1 was recorded at 18.76% at 9 AM on Thursday. Polling is underway in 152 constituencies in the first phase, amid unprecedented security arrangements and a high-stakes battle that could shape the direction of the entire contest. 

Polling started at 7 AM with voters queueing up outside booths in districts ranging from Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri in the north to Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum and Hooghly in the south. 

🚨 Breaking: Crude Bomb Hurled in Murshidabad — Several Injured

The most alarming incident of the morning has come from Murshidabad — one of the most politically sensitive districts in Bengal.

Several people were injured after unidentified individuals allegedly hurled a crude bomb in the Nowda area of Murshidabad district amid ongoing polling. The explosion triggered panic among locals as voting continued in the region. 

Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AUJP) founder Humayun Kabir visited the scene of the crude bomb blast. TMC workers protested his presence, shouting slogans and entering into an altercation with the local police. 

This is not an isolated incident. The Election Commission sought a report from officials over allegations that several people were prevented from casting their votes in Murshidabad district's Domkal. Several voters in Domkal alleged that they were threatened and intimidated, with some claiming they were warned of assault if they attempted to reach polling stations. 

Murshidabad has been under special surveillance throughout the election period and remains one of the hottest flashpoints in Phase 1.

⚡ EVM Malfunction Disrupts Polling in Mothabari

Voting for the 2026 West Bengal elections was disrupted at Balua Chara High School booth in Mothabari constituency as the sector officer absconded amid a reported malfunction in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).  Election officials were dispatched to address the technical failure and restore normal voting processes at the affected booth.

🏛️ The Big Picture: What Is at Stake

Two Phases, 294 Seats, One Big Question

The opening round of the two-phase election covers 152 of the state's 294 seats, including all 54 in north Bengal's eight districts and several in Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum and Hooghly. The election for the remaining 142 seats will be held in the second and last phase on April 29. 

The opening round is seen as the BJP's best opportunity to make an early breakthrough and the ruling Trinamool Congress' most important test in its bid for a fourth consecutive term. 

TMC's Track Record — and the Challenge Ahead

After the 2021 election, the incumbent Trinamool Congress formed the state government again after winning 215 out of 294 seats, with Mamata Banerjee sworn in as Chief Minister.  Now seeking an unprecedented fourth consecutive term, Mamata Banerjee faces the most complex political environment of her career.

The campaign was shaped by disputes over electoral rolls and citizenship, border security and undocumented migration, and broader debates over identity, governance, women's safety, employment, development, and anti-incumbency after 15 years of AITC rule. 

Why This Phase Matters Most for BJP

The first phase assumes political significance because it includes all 54 seats in north Bengal — the region that powered the BJP's rise in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and helped it emerge as the principal challenger to the TMC in the 2021 assembly polls. Of the 152 seats in Phase 1, the BJP had won 59 in 2021, while the TMC had secured 93. 

For BJP, this is their best chance to make an early statement. For TMC, holding this ground while also fighting in the south is the foundational test of their campaign.

🔐 Unprecedented Security: 2.5 Lakh Paramilitary Personnel Deployed

The scale of security deployment tells you everything about how sensitive this election is.

A record 2,450 companies of central paramilitary forces, comprising nearly 2.5 lakh personnel, have been deployed across the state for the polls, with over 8,000 polling stations identified as highly sensitive. The Election Commission has placed districts such as Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Birbhum and Purba Bardhaman under special surveillance. 

Despite this massive deployment, incidents have still occurred — underlining how deeply contested this election is at the ground level.

🗺️ Key Constituencies in Phase 1

🔥 The Central Issues Driving This Election

The Voter List Controversy (SIR): This has been the biggest flashpoint of the entire campaign. The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls removed around 9 million voters from the rolls in West Bengal, representing about 12% of the electorate. Over six million were categorized as absentee or deceased, while the status of 2.7 million remained pending before tribunals. Observers noted that roughly 65% of the undecided group were Muslims, while Dalit Hindus, especially from the Matua community, were also affected in certain districts. 

The AITC said the exercise risked disenfranchising genuine voters, while the Bharatiya Janata Party defended it as a revision of bogus entries and illegal migrants. The issue remains under judicial scrutiny.

Corruption and Governance: Corruption and governance remained important opposition themes, especially because of the school recruitment scam and other ongoing investigations by central agencies. The BJP has hammered this issue relentlessly across constituencies.

Women's Safety: Women's safety was a recurring issue in the campaign, especially after the 2024 R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital rape and murder case, which drew national attention and remained part of the wider law and order debate. 

Jobs and Employment: Employment, industrial development and public recruitment were also prominent issues, particularly among younger and urban voters. Concerns about job creation, delayed recruitment examinations, the effects of the recruitment scandal, and competing claims over investment and industrial growth featured prominently in the campaign. 

Identity and Citizenship: Bengali asmita (identity), the Matua vote, and questions of language, belonging and representation were prominent themes in several regions. The AITC sought to present itself as the defender of Bengali identity and state autonomy, while the BJP tied identity questions to citizenship, migration and Hindu consolidation in selected constituencies. 

Border Security and Migration: BJP leaders framed cross-border movement, border fencing and the Siliguri Corridor as matters of national security and linked them to their wider argument on infiltration. The AITC rejected these claims as politically motivated and linked them to communal polarisation. 

📣 Leaders Speak — PM Modi, Mamata and More

PM Narendra Modi appealed to voters, particularly young electors and women, to exercise their franchise in large numbers, saying: "Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections takes place today. I urge all citizens to participate in this festival of democracy with full strength. I especially appeal to my young friends and to the women of West Bengal to vote in large numbers." 

West Bengal Governor RN Ravi also appealed to voters, saying: "Every vote is sacred. It has the power to shape the future of West Bengal." 

Mamata Banerjee remains confident of a fourth term, having dismissed BJP's chances throughout the campaign. The TMC has been emphasising its welfare schemes — financial aid to women, social benefit programmes — as the pillars of its re-election pitch.

📋 West Bengal Election 2026 — Key Numbers

🔮 What to Watch for as the Day Progresses

Murshidabad situation: With a crude bomb already thrown and voter intimidation allegations, this district will be under intense scrutiny for the rest of the day. How effectively election officials and paramilitary forces manage the situation will matter enormously.

North Bengal turnout: The tea belt constituencies in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Cooch Behar have historically been BJP strongholds. High turnout there would be a positive signal for BJP; low or suppressed turnout would benefit TMC.

Midday numbers: The 1 PM and 3 PM turnout figures will give the first clear indication of which side is better at mobilising voters. A high overall turnout has historically favoured TMC in Bengal.

Nandigram: The Nandigram constituency — where Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee herself in the 2021 elections — remains one of the most watched seats in the entire country. Every update from that booth will be significant.

📅 What Comes Next

Phase 1 polling concludes tonight at 6 PM. Phase 2 — covering the remaining 142 seats including Kolkata and south Bengal constituencies — will take place on April 29. All results will be declared on May 4, 2026.

Stay tuned to ViralDose for live turnout updates throughout the day, incident reports from the ground, and comprehensive coverage when Phase 2 voting and the May 4 results arrive.