Tamil Nadu, West Bengal Elections: Campaigning for the first phase of elections in West Bengal and all 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu will draw to a close on Tuesday evening, in line with the mandatory 48-hour silence period ahead of polling on April 23.
As per Election Commission guidelines, all forms of public campaigning which is including rallies, roadshows, and political outreach must stop 48 hours before voting begins, marking the end of high-decibel electioneering in both states.
Tamil Nadu Elections
Tamil Nadu is witnessing a high-stakes contest with 4,023 candidates in the fray across 234 seats. The principal battle remains between the DMK and the AIADMK alliance. However, actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has emerged as a significant third force in several constituencies, potentially influencing key outcomes.
The state has over 57.3 million registered voters. In a bid to maximise voter participation, the Election Commission has carried out widespread awareness drives across urban and rural regions.
West Bengal Phase 1 Elections
In West Bengal, the first phase of polling on April 23 will cover 152 constituencies across 16 districts, spanning North Bengal, South Bengal, and the Junglemahal region.
District-wise, the seats include 22 in Murshidabad, nine each in Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, Paschim Bardhaman, and Purulia; seven in Jalpaiguri; six in South Dinajpur; five each in Alipurduar, Darjeeling, and Paschim Medinipur; 12 each in Malda and Bankura; 11 in Birbhum; 16 in Purba Medinipur; four in Jhargram; and one in Kalimpong.
A total of 1,478 candidates are contesting in this phase. The electorate comprises 36,077,171 voters, including 18,499,496 men, 17,577,210 women, and 465 transgender voters.