West Bengal election - phase 1: 294 candidates face serious criminal charges, 98 booked for crimes against women
High percentage of candidates with criminal charges raises concerns about electoral integrity.
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms and West Bengal Election Watch revealed that one in five candidates in the first phase of West Bengal Assembly Elections have declared serious criminal cases. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) topped the list with 63% of its candidates facing such charges, followed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI (M)] and the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). The report also highlighted that Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district has six candidates with serious criminal cases, while 66 constituencies are flagged as "red alert" due to multiple candidates facing such charges. The average assets of candidates across the first phase of elections stood at ₹1.34 crore.
28 APR 2026
— The Hindu
Over 3.21 crore voters in West Bengal will cast ballots in the second and final phase of the Assembly elections.
29 APR 2026
— The Hindu
West Bengal's second and final phase of elections concluded with record voter turnout and a heightened security presence, but faced challenges with voter eligibility and roll revisions.
30 APR 2026
— The Hindu
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited an EVM strong room, alleging potential tampering and demanding transparency in the counting process.
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