Mamata questions poll conduct, says ‘what kind of hooliganism is going on?’ amid voting in WB

Kolkata: Polling for the second and final phase of the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 began on Wednesday, with high voter participation expected across 142 constituencies covering nearly half of the state’s 294 assembly seats.

The phase, seen as crucial in determining the overall electoral outcome, is taking place across key regions including South Bengal and Kolkata, widely regarded as strongholds of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Chief Minister and TMC candidate from Bhabanipur, Mamata Banerjee, raised concerns over the conduct of polling, alleging irregularities involving central security forces and election authorities. Speaking to reporters, she claimed that directions from the court were not being followed and that “new people” deployed for election duty were acting arbitrarily.

Referring to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), she said there were instances of non-compliance with court orders and alleged undue influence in the process. Banerjee also claimed that multiple external observers had been brought in and accused them of acting in favour of the opposition. She further alleged that party posters had been removed in several areas and questioned the fairness of the polling arrangements.

“Votes will be cast by voters, not by the police or security forces,” she said, adding that the presence of newly deployed personnel was leading to “misuse of authority”.

She said, "Look how our worker was beaten up at night. Just look at this atrocity. What kind of hooliganism is going on? Voting does not happen like this. Voting happens peacefully. It is a festival of democracy. But they have completely ruined it. The intention is very clear that the BJP wants to forcefully rig the election. Our workers and people are ready to die, but they will not leave the place."

The Election Commission has deployed extensive security arrangements to ensure peaceful polling across the state. Mock polls were conducted earlier in the day as part of standard preparations.

According to official data, the electorate in this phase stands at approximately 3.21 crore voters, including 1.64 crore men, 1.57 crore women and 792 third-gender voters. A total of 1,448 candidates are contesting, including 220 women, across 41,001 polling stations. Of these, over 8,000 stations are being managed entirely by women staff.