In a striking fusion of democratic tradition and cutting-edge technology, voters at the Government Higher Secondary School in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore were greeted by an unusual election official on Thursday (Apr 23). The initiative, part of the Election Commission’s effort to increase voter turnout and modernise the polling experience for the 2026 Assembly elections, saw the robot stationed at the entrance of a designated "model polling booth". Dressed in traditional attire and programmed with multilingual capabilities, it offered a high-tech welcome that turned a routine civic duty into a memorable event for the local community.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/west-bengal-phase-1-polls-violence-reported-in-murshidabad-malda-1776941981866/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/west-bengal-phase-1-polls-violence-reported-in-murshidabad-malda-1776941981866/embed</a> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As citizens approached the Government School, which is serving as a primary polling center, the robot extended its mechanical arms to offer roses to early morning voters. The robot was equipped to provide basic assistance, such as guiding voters to their respective booths and offering information on the documents required for identification.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/tamil-nadu-election-2026-richest-candidates-list-1776928800940">Top 10 richest candidate in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election 2026</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Tamil Nadu Elections 2026 | Vellore: A robot has been stationed at the polling booth set up at the Government Muslim Higher Secondary School to welcome voters and attract public attention. Dressed in traditional Tamil attire, the robot is greeting members of the public… <a href="https://t.co/9nCWJjwFhd">pic.twitter.com/9nCWJjwFhd</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047241122918105220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;The deployment is part of a broader strategy by the district administration to create "theme-based" polling stations. Alongside the technological attraction, the booth featured eco-friendly decorations and distributed tree saplings to first-time voters, emphasising a message of sustainable growth.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-assembly-elections-2026-mk-stalin-edappadi-k-palaniswami-vijay-tamilaga-vettri-kazhagam-aiadmk-dmk-bjp-what-to-expect-bjp-congress-1776906238159">Stalin vs Palaniswami vs Vijay: Tamil Nadu's unpredictable election begins today</a> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The robot, developed by a local tech start-up in collaboration with regional engineering students, features advanced mobility, hand gestures, and a voice interface capable of communicating in Tamil and English. Election officials noted that such innovations are particularly effective in urban and semi-urban pockets like Vellore to engage younger demographics and tech-savvy citizens.

Voters in Vellore were greeted by the humanoid robot ‘Nila’ AI assistants during the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Stationed at model polling booths, these robots distributed roses and shook hands with voters.

In a striking fusion of democratic tradition and cutting-edge technology, voters at the Government Higher Secondary School in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore were greeted by an unusual election official on Thursday (Apr 23). The initiative, part of the Election Commission’s effort to increase voter turnout and modernise the polling experience for the 2026 Assembly elections, saw the robot stationed at the entrance of a designated "model polling booth". Dressed in traditional attire and programmed with multilingual capabilities, it offered a high-tech welcome that turned a routine civic duty into a memorable event for the local community. https://www.wionews.com/videos/west-bengal-phase-1-polls-violence-reported-in-murshidabad-malda-1776941981866/embed As citizens approached the Government School, which is serving as a primary polling center, the robot extended its mechanical arms to offer roses to early morning voters. The robot was equipped to provide basic assistance, such as guiding voters to their respective booths and offering information on the documents required for identification. Also read: Top 10 richest candidate in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election 2026

Voters in Vellore were greeted by the humanoid robot ‘Nila’ AI assistants during the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Stationed at model polling booths, these robots distributed roses and shook hands with voters.

Tech meets tradition: Humanoid robot welcomes voters at Tamil Nadu polling booth

According to a report by the Association for Democratic Reform, the Tamil Nadu Assembly election had 981 out of the 4023 crorepati candidates, which is approximately 25 per cent. Here  are the Top 10 candidates with the highest asset value

Superstar C Joseph Vijay, Lottery queen Leema Rose Martin: Top 10 richest candidates in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election 2026

One year after the Pahalgam terror attack, how is India taking the message global? On Capitol Hill, an exhibition puts faces to the victims and calls for zero tolerance against terror.

How did US lawmakers react? Scroll down to see images from the exhibition.

One year after Pahalgam terror attack, India brings 'Human Cost of Terrorism' to Capitol Hill | In Pics

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta today conducted a surprise inspection of Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital and interacted with patients and their families to assess arrangements and the availability of doctors. She reviewed feedback from doctors, staff and the hospital administration, and issued necessary directions to make healthcare services more modern, swift, compassionate and citizen-centric.&nbsp;“Our commitment is to ensure that every citizen of Delhi experiences a healthcare system where treatment is timely, facilities are modern, surroundings are clean, and every patient is served with dignity. Keeping the summer season in view, the hospital administration has been directed to accord the highest priority to the availability of medicines, drinking water, cleanliness, patient convenience and all essential arrangements,” Rekha Gupta said.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-gps-guided-mines-pentagon-in-secret-briefing-warns-congress-reopening-strait-of-hormuz-is-a-6-month-nightmare-leaked-here-s-why-1776917945302">'GPS-guided mines?': Pentagon, in secret briefing, warns Congress reopening Strait of Hormuz is a 6-month nightmare - Here's why</a>

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta reviewed feedback from doctors, staff and the hospital administration, and issued necessary directions to make healthcare services more modern, swift, compassionate and citizen-centric.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta today conducted a surprise inspection of Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital and interacted with patients and their families to assess arrangements and the availability of doctors. She reviewed feedback from doctors, staff and the hospital administration, and issued necessary directions to make healthcare services more modern, swift, compassionate and citizen-centric. “Our commitment is to ensure that every citizen of Delhi experiences a healthcare system where treatment is timely, facilities are modern, surroundings are clean, and every patient is served with dignity. Keeping the summer season in view, the hospital administration has been directed to accord the highest priority to the availability of medicines, drinking water, cleanliness, patient convenience and all essential arrangements,” Rekha Gupta said. Also read: 'GPS-guided mines?': Pentagon, in secret briefing, warns Congress reopening Strait of Hormuz is a 6-month nightmare - Here's why

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta reviewed feedback from doctors, staff and the hospital administration, and issued necessary directions to make healthcare services more modern, swift, compassionate and citizen-centric.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta conducts surprise hospital check, emphasises better healthcare access

Data collated by the Association for Democratic Reform from the West Bengal Assembly Elections candidate disclosures reveal that a whopping 22 per cent, 629 out of the 2926 candidates, are crorepatis. Here are the top 10 richest candidates in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Top 10 richest candidates in West Bengal Assembly elections 2026

Will Indian vehicle owners soon face a petrol, diesel price hike of ₹25-28 per litre? As reports suggest that a massive fuel price hike is imminent, the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a X post, has issued clarification to consumers. The MoPNG said that the petrol, diesel price hike was 'FAKE NEWS' and insisted that the reports were "mischievous and misleading" reports specifically "designed to create fear and panic amongst the citizens." This comes as global oil markets remain on edge from the ongoing US-Iran conflict.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-assembly-elections-2026-poll-violence-crude-bomb-hurled-in-murshidabad-s-nowda-several-injured-watch-1776918580159">West Bengal poll violence: Crude bomb hurled in Murshidabad’s Nowda, several injured | WATCH</a><h2>Indian government seeks to reassure consumers</h2>As panic continues to grip markets amid the ongoing Iran war, Indian authorities moved to contain a wave of misinformation about domestic fuel prices and supply, issuing back-to-back clarifications aimed at reassuring the public.The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a post on X, labelled reports of an imminent petrol and diesel price hike as "FAKE NEWS." The ministry said no such proposal was under consideration and called the rumours "mischievous and misleading," designed to "create fear and panic amongst citizens." It added that India is currently the only country where petrol and diesel prices have not increased in four years, pointing to "relentless steps" taken by the Government of India and Oil PSUs to shield consumers from "steep increases in international prices".

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">FAKE NEWS There are some news reports suggesting a price hike of petrol and diesel. It is hereby clarified that there is no such proposal under consideration by the Government. Such news items are designed to create fear and panic amongst the citizens and are mischievous and… <a href="https://t.co/yTAfJdah2o">pic.twitter.com/yTAfJdah2o</a>— Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas #MoPNG (@PetroleumMin) <a href="https://twitter.com/PetroleumMin/status/2047187486598980057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Adequate fuel supply available</h2>On the supply side, Indian Oil Corporation Limited moved to address concerns about fuel availability. IOCL's Executive Director and State Head Ashutosh Gupta on Wednesday (Apr 22) told reporters that stocks across Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh were at comfortable levels and that all refineries were operating at full capacity.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-gps-guided-mines-pentagon-in-secret-briefing-warns-congress-reopening-strait-of-hormuz-is-a-6-month-nightmare-leaked-here-s-why-1776917945302">Pentagon, in secret briefing, warns Congress reopening Strait of Hormuz is a 6-month nightmare - Here's why</a>He said that depots and terminals in J&amp;K and Ladakh currently hold around nine days of petrol stocks, 14 days of diesel and 11 days of LPG. Retail outlets also have an additional five days of petrol and diesel buffer. "Apart from this, all the retail outlets and the LPG agencies also have a stock which is typically varying from 5 days of petrol, diesel and 2 to 3 days of LPG stock," Gupta noted.In Punjab and the broader northern region, depot stocks stand at 12 days of petrol and 16 days of diesel, with retail outlets holding 13 days of petrol and six days of diesel, he noted.Gupta also sought to contextualise the numbers. "Sometimes it gives you a feeling that the stock is only for 9 days or 15 days, but this used to be the stock even before the conflict time," he said. "These are stocks which are regularly being recouped from the supply sources." He insisted that these were in line with normal supply cycles.The reassurances come as India navigates an increasingly complicated energy landscape. The country imports over 88 per cent of its crude requirements, with West Asia serving as one of its primary sourcing regions alongside Russia.The disruption to the Strait of Hormuz since late February has pushed global oil prices well above $100 a barrel, with oil prices up by nearly 40 per cent since the war broke out.&nbsp;Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.

Will petrol and diesel prices jump ₹25–28 per litre in India? As reports create panic, the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has finally broken the silence. What did the government say? 

Scroll down to read.

Will Indian vehicle owners soon face a petrol, diesel price hike of ₹25-28 per litre? As reports suggest that a massive fuel price hike is imminent, the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a X post, has issued clarification to consumers. The MoPNG said that the petrol, diesel price hike was 'FAKE NEWS' and insisted that the reports were "mischievous and misleading" reports specifically "designed to create fear and panic amongst the citizens." This comes as global oil markets remain on edge from the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Also read | West Bengal poll violence: Crude bomb hurled in Murshidabad’s Nowda, several injured | WATCH Indian government seeks to reassure consumers As panic continues to grip markets amid the ongoing Iran war, Indian authorities moved to contain a wave of misinformation about domestic fuel prices and supply, issuing back-to-back clarifications aimed at reassuring the public. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a post on X, labelled reports of an imminent petrol and diesel price hike as "FAKE NEWS." The ministry said no such proposal was under consideration and called the rumours "mischievous and misleading," designed to "create fear and panic amongst citizens." It added that India is currently the only country where petrol and diesel prices have not increased in four years, pointing to "relentless steps" taken by the Government of India and Oil PSUs to shield consumers from "steep increases in international prices".

Will petrol and diesel prices jump ₹25–28 per litre in India? As reports create panic, the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has finally broken the silence. What did the government say?&nbsp;Scroll down to read.

FACT CHECK: Will petrol, diesel get ₹25-28 more expensive? Govt breaks silence on fuel price hike reports

Security forces on Thursday said they have arrested four over ground workers (OGWs), including a woman, in the Hazratbal area of Srinagar for reportedly providing logistical support to terrorists.According to officials, the arrests were made during a late-night operation. The accused have been identified as Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, and Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, all residents of Hazratbal, along with Shazia Mohammad, a woman from the same locality.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-assembly-elections-2026-poll-violence-crude-bomb-hurled-in-murshidabad-s-nowda-several-injured-watch-1776918580159">West Bengal poll violence: Crude bomb hurled in Murshidabad’s Nowda, several injured | WATCH</a>During the operation, police said they recovered a hand grenade, 15 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, four mobile phones, and a sum of cash from their possession.A case has been registered under FIR No. 20/2026 at Police Station Ahmad Nagar under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Arms Act. Officials added that further investigation into the matter is currently underway. &nbsp;

During the operation, police said they recovered a hand grenade, 15 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, four mobile phones, and a sum of cash from their possession.

Security forces on Thursday said they have arrested four over ground workers (OGWs), including a woman, in the Hazratbal area of Srinagar for reportedly providing logistical support to terrorists. According to officials, the arrests were made during a late-night operation. The accused have been identified as Zahoor Ahmad Mir, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, and Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, all residents of Hazratbal, along with Shazia Mohammad, a woman from the same locality. Also read | West Bengal poll violence: Crude bomb hurled in Murshidabad’s Nowda, several injured | WATCH During the operation, police said they recovered a hand grenade, 15 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, four mobile phones, and a sum of cash from their possession. A case has been registered under FIR No. 20/2026 at Police Station Ahmad Nagar under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Arms Act. Officials added that further investigation into the matter is currently underway.

During the operation, police said they recovered a hand grenade, 15 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, four mobile phones, and a sum of cash from their possession.

Four OGWs, including woman, arrested in Srinagar’s Hazratbal; arms and ammunition recovered

West Bengal &nbsp;Assembly Elections 2026: Tension flared in Nowda, in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, during polling on Thursday (Apr 23) after a crude bomb was allegedly thrown near a voting area, leaving several people injured. The incident occurred in the middle of voting hours, triggering panic among voters and residents in the locality. Eyewitness accounts suggested a sudden blast disrupted the otherwise steady polling process, with people scrambling to move to safety.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-assembly-elections-2026-mamata-banerjee-narendra-modi-tmc-bjp-what-to-expect-phase-1-polls-1776905040581">West Bengal votes today: Mamata Banerjee faces her toughest test yet</a><h2>What happened in Nowda?</h2>Initial reports indicate that multiple individuals sustained injuries in the explosion. They have been taken to nearby medical facilities, though officials have not yet confirmed the exact number of casualties or the severity of injuries.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">VIDEO | West Bengal Election 2026: Several people injured as unidentified people hurled crude bomb in Nowda, Murshidabad district. More details are awaited.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssemblyPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AssemblyPollsWithPTI</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WestBengalPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WestBengalPollsWithPTI</a> (Full video available on PTI Videos - <a href="https://t.co/n147TvrpG7">https://t.co/n147TvrpG7</a>) <a href="https://t.co/W7G5A9OqR6">pic.twitter.com/W7G5A9OqR6</a>&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2047164192692826170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Security forces reached the spot shortly after the incident and have since launched search operations in the area. Police are attempting to identify those responsible and determine whether the attack was linked to the ongoing election process.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-why-didn-t-she-save-my-daughter-mother-of-rg-kar-rape-murder-victim-enters-west-bengal-election-fray-vows-to-defeat-mamata-banerjee-1775707531406">'Why didn't she save my daughter?': Mother of RG Kar rape-murder victim enters West Bengal election fray, vows to defeat Mamata Banerjee</a>Talking to the press later, Murshidabad ASP Majid Khan said, “The situation is peaceful. Nothing has happened anywhere...”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Murshidabad, West Bengal: ASP Majid Khan, says, &quot;The situation is peaceful. Nothing has happened anywhere...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/EnfCtiAmLd">https://t.co/EnfCtiAmLd</a> <a href="https://t.co/8tA8M18anU">pic.twitter.com/8tA8M18anU</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047179682697859406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>152 constituencies, 3.22 crore voters</h2>West Bengal went to the polls today (Thursday Apr 23) with 152 constituencies across the state voting in Phase 1. Over 3.22 crore voters will cast their ballots in Phase 1, the opening act of a two-phase contest that will ultimately determine whether Mamata Banerjee secures an unprecedented fourth consecutive term as Chief Minister, or whether the BJP finally comes to power in a state it has been chasing for years.Polling, which began at 7:00 am across the state for Phase 1 of the Assembly elections, has largely continued under heightened security, even as isolated incidents like this raise concerns. Authorities have not issued a detailed statement so far. The incident comes amid an already tense electoral atmosphere in parts of West Bengal, where polling has historically seen sporadic violence.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-blog-west-bengal-tamil-nadu-assembly-elections-2026-live-updates-voting-day-election-commission-of-india-aiadmk-dmk-bjp-congress-tmc-1776907499083">You can check LIVE updates on West Bengal Assembly elections 206 HERE</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Crude bomb disrupts voting in West Bengal: Tension erupted in Murshidabad after a crude bomb was thrown near a polling area during Phase 1, injuring several people.

Scroll down to read more.

West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026: Tension flared in Nowda, in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, during polling on Thursday (Apr 23) after a crude bomb was allegedly thrown near a voting area, leaving several people injured. The incident occurred in the middle of voting hours, triggering panic among voters and residents in the locality. Eyewitness accounts suggested a sudden blast disrupted the otherwise steady polling process, with people scrambling to move to safety. Also read | West Bengal votes today: Mamata Banerjee faces her toughest test yet What happened in Nowda? Initial reports indicate that multiple individuals sustained injuries in the explosion. They have been taken to nearby medical facilities, though officials have not yet confirmed the exact number of casualties or the severity of injuries.

Crude bomb disrupts voting in West Bengal: Tension erupted in Murshidabad after a crude bomb was thrown near a polling area during Phase 1, injuring several people.Scroll down to read more.

West Bengal poll violence: Crude bomb hurled in Murshidabad’s Nowda, several injured | WATCH

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 Live Updates: Voting is underway in two of India’s most politically watched states, with Tamil Nadu and West Bengal going to the polls on Thursday in the 2026 Assembly elections.The day began with mock polling exercises at select booths, including a school in Chennai and another in Siliguri, to ensure that voting systems were functioning smoothly before the actual process kicked off. Polling opened at 7:00 am in both states and is scheduled to continue until 6:00 pm.Two states, different formatsTamil Nadu is voting in a single phase, meaning the entire state will decide its next government in one go. West Bengal, on the other hand, is holding elections in two phases, with the second round of voting set for April 29. Results for both states will be announced on May 4.Tamil Nadu: A contest with a twistIn Tamil Nadu, the main fight is shaping up between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the NDA bloc led by AIADMK.The DMK alliance includes the Congress, DMDK and VCK, while the AIADMK is contesting alongside the BJP and PMK.But this time, there is an added layer.Actor Vijay, entering politics with his party TVK, is making his electoral debut. His entry could disrupt the traditional two-front contest and turn it into a three-way race, something the state has not seen in a while.West Bengal: High stakes lashWest Bengal is heading into an intense contest.The ruling Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is aiming for a fourth straight term. The BJP, which made significant gains in the last election by winning 77 seats, is pushing hard to convert that momentum into power.Beyond the big statesAlongside these elections, bypolls are also being held in Gujarat’s Umreth and Maharashtra’s Baramati and Rahuri constituencies. The results for these will also be declared on May 4.<h2>Stay connected to WION for all the updates, analysis, and developments on the West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026</h2>

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | North 24 Parganas, West Bengal | BJP National President Nitin Nabin says, &amp;quot;The first phase of voting has taken place. The public has ensured a very good turnout...The real face of TMC has been revealed today...There is a wave of support in favour of the BJP...&amp;quot; &lt;a href="https://t.co/1NFlUuTxLA"&gt;pic.twitter.com/1NFlUuTxLA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047313024118362190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

'Clear wave of support': BJP President Nitin Nabin after first phase of voting in Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC candidate from Bhabanipur assembly constituency, Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday held a padyatra from Bhowanipur Kansaripara Shitala Mandir to Patua Para Crossing.The visuals of the Chief Minister's padyatra were shared from her official Facebook page. She also visited the Jain mandir.Meanwhile, the first phase of polling in West Bengal officially concluded amid tight security arrangements across constituencies at 6 PM.

Mamata Banerjee leads padyatra in Bhabanipur as Bengal phase 1 polling ends

Voter turnout surged to remarkable levels by 5 PM on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a massive 89.93% voter turnout rate, significantly ahead of Tamil Nadu, which also posted a strong 82.24%, according to the Election Commission. The late afternoon figures highlight an intense wave of voter participation across both states, as polling hours drew to a close.

Bengal leads with 89.93% turnout; Tamil Nadu at 82.24% by 5 pm

BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul's car was vandalised during the first phase of voting in West Bengal's Asansol on Thursday. The incident took place in the Rahamatnagar area. Paul said the rear portion of her car was severely damaged after a large stone was allegedly hurled at it while she was seated inside. "As I sat in the car, someone broke the glass of the car with a big stone... This has been happening repeatedly. Who will commit such an incident in a minority area?" she asked.

BJP’s Agnimitra Paul escapes unharmed as car vandalised in Asansol

Tamil Nadu recorded a voter turnout of 70 per cent by 3:00 pm, according to the Election Commission of India, while Chennai reported a slightly lower polling figure of 68.13 per cent.&nbsp;

70% voting in Tamil Nadu till 3 pm, Chennai at 68.13%

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed full confidence of the BJP victory in West Bengal assembly polls and launched a scathing attack on Trinamool Congress, saying "May 4 is the expiry date of TMC's syndicate and this reign of jungle law". Addressing an election rally here, PM Modi said there will be accountability for all wrongdoings after the results of the assembly polls are declared on May 4.

'May 4 is TMC’s expiry date': PM Modi hits out at ‘jungle raj’ in Bengal

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Central paramilitary personnel use lathi charge to clear crowd near a polling booth in Siliguri&amp;#39;s Dangipara as voting is underway in West Bengal for 152 of 294 seats&lt;br&gt;.&lt;br&gt;.&lt;br&gt;.&lt;br&gt;.&lt;br&gt;Video: ANI &lt;a href="https://t.co/ii2CFcTaeF"&gt;pic.twitter.com/ii2CFcTaeF&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; WION (@WIONews) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/2047266664295838198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

West Bengal: Central forces lathi-charge crowd near Siliguri polling booth

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday responded to the Election Commission of India (ECI) issuing a notice to him over 'terrorist' remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that "our people will reply to it". Speaking to reporters, Kharge said, “Notice aane do. (Let the notice come). We will reply to it in the evening. Our people will reply to it.”

'Notice aane do…': Kharge hits back at EC over ‘terrorist’ jibe at PM Modi

Voter turnout in Bengal crosses 78% till 3p.m

Voter turnout in Bengal crosses 78% till 3p.m

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | West Bengal Elections 2026 | Father of singer Arijit Singh, Surinder Singh arrived at a polling booth in Murshidabad to cast his vote. &lt;a href="https://t.co/HSD06JU7bZ"&gt;pic.twitter.com/HSD06JU7bZ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047234600217514249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Father of singer Arijit Singh, Surinder Singh arrived at a polling booth in Murshidabad to cast his vote

Addressing a public meeting in West Bengal’s Krishnanagar amid the first phase of the voting on Thursday, PM Modi said, “Jhalmuri maine khayi, lekin jhal TMC ko lagi hai. [I ate the jhal muri, but the spice hit TMC]”. He added that people have so much anger for TMC and its party leaders that in some states, they will not get a single seat.

‘Jhalmuri maine khayi, lekin jhal TMC ko lagi hai’: PM Modi's jibe at TMC

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate was chased in South Dinajpur. He was allegedly manhandled by TMC workers even as a security person tried to protect him.

BJP candidate was chased by TMC workers 

Ink was smeared over BJP's lotus symbol on the EVM at a booth of Raghunathpur constituency. The ink hid the symbol, claimed Bishnupur MP Saumitra Khan. West Bengal Sector CRPF later said on X that the ink was cleared and voting was going on peacefully.

Ink smeared on BJP symbol on the EVM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses poll rally for second phase in West Bengal. He said, "The same voice is echoing from all sides... Everyone is saying, 'Paltano Dorkar' (change is necessary)... A storm of change is sweeping through Bengal... Exactly ten days later, when the votes are counted, I am confident that the lotus will bloom everywhere."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses poll rally for second phase in West Bengal

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections: Actor Vishal Krishna Reddy arrives at a polling booth in Anna Nagar, Chennai, to cast his vote in the ongoing Tamil Nadu assembly elections.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;He says, &amp;quot;I will cast vote for the best candidate in my constituency.&amp;quot; &lt;a href="https://t.co/Oh1HI0fAYz"&gt;pic.twitter.com/Oh1HI0fAYz&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047257636807303619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Actor Vishal Krishna Reddy arrives at a polling booth in Anna Nagar, Chennai, to cast his vote 

A robot has been stationed at the polling booth set up at Government Higher Secondary School in Tamil Nadu's Vellore to welcome voters and attract public attention.&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Tamil Nadu Elections 2026 | Vellore: A robot has been stationed at the polling booth set up at the Government Muslim Higher Secondary School to welcome voters and attract public attention. Dressed in traditional Tamil attire, the robot is greeting members of the public… &lt;a href="https://t.co/9nCWJjwFhd"&gt;pic.twitter.com/9nCWJjwFhd&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047241122918105220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Tamil Nadu Elections | Robots welcomes voters at Vellore polling booth

Bankura: Voting continues across 152 of the total 294 constituencies in the state in phase 1 of the polling today (Apr 23).&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | West Bengal Elections 2026 | Bankura: Voting continues across 152 of the total 294 constituencies in the state in phase 1 of the polling today. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Polling officials are closely verifying the voters&amp;#39; names in the voters&amp;#39; list. Voters who are wearing a burqa or hijab have… &lt;a href="https://t.co/JuFTBANZqe"&gt;pic.twitter.com/JuFTBANZqe&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047240460469723163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;&nbsp;

West Bengal's Bankura votes across 152 of the total 294 constituencies in phase 1

BJP candidate from West Bengal's Asansol South Assembly constituency, Agnimitra Paul says, "As I sat in the car, someone broke the glass of the car with a big stone... This has been happening repeatedly. Who will commit such an incident in a minority area? TMC has very good relations with the minority.&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | West Bengal Elections 2026 | BJP candidate from Asansol South Assembly constituency, Agnimitra Paul says, &amp;quot;As I sat in the car, someone broke the glass of the car with a big stone... This has been happening repeatedly. Who will commit such an incident in a minority area?… &lt;a href="https://t.co/1BaYpVFvoz"&gt;https://t.co/1BaYpVFvoz&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://t.co/KDbzjh72TM"&gt;pic.twitter.com/KDbzjh72TM&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047241494852170137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

West Bengal Elections | 'Muslim brothers and sisters are also supporting the BJP now': Agnimitra Paul

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | West Bengal Elections 2026 | Paschim Medinipur | TMC candidate Pradeep Sarkar from the Kharagpur Sadar Assembly constituency cast his vote at a polling station at Milan Mandir Club &lt;a href="https://t.co/8PnRoPCOpC"&gt;pic.twitter.com/8PnRoPCOpC&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047221618410508303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

TMC candidate Pradeep Sarkar from the Kharagpur Sadar Assembly constituency cast his vote 

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Tamil Nadu Elections 2026 | DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, his son Karan and wife Priya Dayanidhi Maran arrived at a polling booth in Chennai to cast their vote. &lt;a href="https://t.co/GeHjC9rY6j"&gt;pic.twitter.com/GeHjC9rY6j&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047210991126224949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, his son Karan and wife Priya Dayanidhi Maran arrived at a polling booth in Chennai to cast their vote

Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Thursday remembered his uncle and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, late Ajit Pawar, amid bye-elections in the Baramati Assembly constituency. The Baramati seat fell vacant after Ajit Pawar passed away in a plane crash on January 28. His wife and Maharashtra Deputy CM, Sunetra Pawar, is contesting on an NCP ticket.

Rohit Pawar remembers uncle Ajit Pawar, casts vote for Baramati bypolls 

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly and BJP candidate, Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday inspected vulnerable polling booths in his constituency, Nandigram, amid the polling for State Assembly elections. Speaking to reporters, Adhikari claimed that he was not allowed to enter one of the polling booths. The BJP leader said, "I was not allowed to enter this polling booth. The common man wants peace. Jo shanti todega hum usko todne ka kaam karenge. (Whoever disturbs the peace, we will break them)."

BJP's Suvendu Adhikari inspects polling booths in Nandigram

Congress candidate from Berhampore Assembly constituency, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, speaks to an election official on the phone, urging the official to resolve the EVM malfunction at the polling booth

EVM malfunction at the polling booth in Berhampore: Cong leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury speaks to EC official

Voters at polling booth number 141 in Khowar school, Gorabazaar, complain of EVM malfunction amid voting in the first phase of West Bengal elections

EVM malfunction reported in another booth in West Bengal

TMC block president of Nowda, Sofiuzzaman Saikh, says, "Humayun Kabir is trying to make a mess. On the day of the elections, he came with 15 cars with anti-social criminals and FIR-registered criminals. He came here to snatch out our polling station agents. Humayun is creating a lot of hooliganism here.

TMC accuses Humayun Kabir of 'hooliganism'

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;VIDEO | West Bengal Polls: An elephant entered the area near the polling station at Jitusol Primary School in Jhargram.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;(Source: Third Party)&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssemblyPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#AssemblyPollsWithPTI&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WestBengalPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WestBengalPollsWithPTI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;(Full video available on PTI Videos - &lt;a href="https://t.co/n147TvrpG7"&gt;https://t.co/n147TvrpG7&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;a href="https://t.co/UN6axPscmO"&gt;pic.twitter.com/UN6axPscmO&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2047138644167893121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Elephant enters a polling booth in Jhargram, WB

Congress's Suri candidate Sanjoy Adhikari alleged he was unable to cast his vote despite reaching his polling station at 7 am due to an EVM glitch. "We have already lodged a complaint with the district magistrate and the local polling officer, yet the machine has not been repaired so far. Hundreds of voters are already standing in queues before the booth, and there's no EC representative here who can tell us when polls will resume," Adhikari told the PTI news agency.

Congress alleges EVM glitch in Suri

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Actor Vijay Sethupathi said, &amp;quot;Everyone come and vote, this is our most important responsibility... Best wishes to all the youth.&amp;quot; &lt;a href="https://t.co/TK18cVlXAx"&gt;https://t.co/TK18cVlXAx&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://t.co/TXEqn2vcHZ"&gt;pic.twitter.com/TXEqn2vcHZ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047198944137257228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Actor Vijay Sethupathi casts his vote at a polling station in Chennai

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Purba Medinipur, West Bengal | BJP candidate from the Egra Assembly constituency, Dibyendu Adhikari, casts his vote at a polling booth in Kanthi Dakshin&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;He says, &amp;quot;... Apart from all the other states, West Bengal stands out as the only state with violence pre-poll, on… &lt;a href="https://t.co/ZBCusfeKtB"&gt;pic.twitter.com/ZBCusfeKtB&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047198518201438280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

BJP candidate from the Egra Assembly constituency, Dibyendu Adhikari, casts his vote

Tamil Nadu registers 37.56 percent voting by 11 am and West Bengal voting percentage is 41.11 per cent

Tamil Nadu and West Bengal voting percentage till 11 am

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&amp;quot;We are deeply impressed by the scale, organization, and integrity of the polling process.&amp;quot; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Delegates of International Election Visitors&amp;#39; Programme - 2026 visits the High-rise polling station in Anna Nagar Assembly Constituency and interacts with the voters.&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ECI?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#ECI&lt;/a&gt;… &lt;a href="https://t.co/5Axi10rLZv"&gt;pic.twitter.com/5Axi10rLZv&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ECISVEEP/status/2047190102657642592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026: Delegates 'impressed by integrity of the polling process' | International Election Visitors' Programme

A clash broke out in West Bengal’s Murshidabad during polling as TMC workers raised slogans and clashed with police following the arrival of AUJP chief Humayun Kabir.Security forces were deployed to control the situation, with police resorting to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Officials, however, said the situation was under control. ASP Majid Khan said, “The situation is peaceful. Nothing has happened anywhere.” Kabir appealed for calm, urging supporters to ensure peaceful voting.

West Bengal poll violence: Clash in Murshidabad during Bengal polls, police use mild lathicharge

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin cast his vote on Thursday at a polling station located in West Mambalam Sitaraman Vidyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chennai as polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is underway. He was accompanied by his wife, Prithi Narayanan. Ashwin waited for his turn in the line, showed his inked finger after casting the vote, before clicking selfies with the fans. Speaking to ANI after casting his vote, Ashwin said, "This is a very important election in Tamil Nadu. Just wanted to come and exercise my right. I have done my job, and now, everybody has to do theirs. Hopefully, whoever comes to power will change the face of Tamil Nadu."

Cricketer R. Ashwin casts his vote in Chennai

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay has written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging “transport paralysis” across Tamil Nadu on polling day and urging immediate intervention to ensure voters are not disenfranchised.In his letter, Vijay claimed thousands of voters were stranded at major bus terminals such as Koyambedu, Kilambakkam and Madhavaram due to buses being diverted for poll duty without alternative arrangements. He called it an “assault on the fundamental right to vote.”He urged the Election Commission to deploy additional public transport and run special shuttle services to polling booths, along with coordinated announcements to assist stranded voters. Vijay also flagged long queues and delays at polling stations, calling for supervisory officers to ensure smoother voting. He further demanded that polling hours be extended till 8 pm to accommodate affected voters.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: Vijay flags ‘transport paralysis’ during polls, seeks EC action

Tension flared in Nowda, in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, during polling on Thursday (Apr 23) after a crude bomb was allegedly thrown near a voting area, leaving several people injured. The incident occurred in the middle of voting hours, triggering panic among voters and residents in the locality. Eyewitness accounts suggested a sudden blast disrupted the otherwise steady polling process, with people scrambling to move to safety.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-assembly-elections-2026-poll-violence-crude-bomb-hurled-in-murshidabad-s-nowda-several-injured-watch-1776918580159">All you need to know HERE</a>

Voting in West Bengal’s Assembly elections saw disruption at a polling booth in Malda on Thursday after a reported malfunction in the electronic voting machine (EVM), with officials confirming that the sector officer assigned to the area could not be located during the incident.The disruption was reported at a booth set up inside Balua Chara High School in the Mothabari constituency, part of the first phase of polling. Authorities said voting was halted briefly as officials worked to address the issue.

West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026: Voting disrupted in Malda after EVM glitch, officer in-charge absconding

Voting picked up pace in both Tamil Nadu and West Bengal in the opening hours of the 2026 Assembly elections, with early turnout figures showing the following figures:As of 9:00 am, Tamil Nadu recorded a voter turnout of 17.69 percent, while West Bengal, voting in Phase 1, reported a slightly higher 18.76 percent.Polling began at 7:00 am in both states, and these numbers reflect participation in the first two hours of voting.

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: Early voter turnout till 9am

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) candidate from Royapuram constituency, D Jayakumar, cast his vote at a polling station in Mylapore on Thursday during the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026. After exercising his franchise, Jayakumar said that voting was a key democratic responsibility and described the election as a crucial one for the state's future. "We exercised our democratic right today. This election is very important, giving an end to one family dynasty and 'ganja' culture. Law and order is the worst in Tamil Nadu," Jayakumar told reporters.

"End of family dynasty..": AIADMK Candidate D Jayakumar hits out at DMK after casting vote

BJP candidate from Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency, Agnimitra Paul, cast her vote during the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections and expressed confidence in the party's performance. She said, "We are sure that the people of Bengal will vote for the BJP... They are determined to remove TMC, who is a disgrace to the CM's chair and voters." Describing the election as a crucial political battle, she said, "This is a war to save Bengal. We don't want the politics of Hindu-Muslim. We want employment for the youth and bringing back 40 lakh people, who migrated from here, to come back." She also launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying, "You (Mamata Banerjee) are a failure as a Chief Minister, and you must leave the seat."

West Bengal Elections 2026: BJP's Asansol Dakshin candidate Agnimitra Paul casts vote, says "this is war to save Bengal"

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Tamil Nadu Elections 2026 | Tamil Nadu CM and DMK candidate from Kolathur, MK Stalin casts his vote and shows his inked finger, at a polling station in Chennai. &lt;a href="https://t.co/L8QJwihdNB"&gt;pic.twitter.com/L8QJwihdNB&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047156943857516887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Tamil Nadu Election 2026: CM MK Stalin casts his vote

Megastar Rajinikanth arrived at polling booth number 237 at Stella Maris College in Chennai on Thursday to cast his vote as polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is underway. The actor was seen reaching the polling station to cast his vote. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;VIDEO | Tamil Nadu Election 2026: Actor Rajinikanth (&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/rajinikanth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;@rajinikanth&lt;/a&gt;) casts vote at Stella Mariss, Chennai.&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssemblyPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#AssemblyPollsWithPTI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNaduPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#TamilNaduPollsWithPTI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;(Full video available on PTI Video - &lt;a href="https://t.co/n147TvrpG7"&gt;https://t.co/n147TvrpG7&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;a href="https://t.co/uzqqkeoajm"&gt;pic.twitter.com/uzqqkeoajm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2047154010860445787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Tamil Nadu Election 2026: Superstar Rajinikanth casts his vote in Chennai

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;VIDEO | Tamil Nadu Election 2026: Actor and Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan and his daughter Shruti Haasan arrive to cast vote at Chennai High School, Eldams Road, Teynampet.&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssemblyPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#AssemblyPollsWithPTI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNaduPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#TamilNaduPollsWithPTI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;(Full video available on PTI Video - &lt;a href="https://t.co/n147TvrpG7"&gt;https://t.co/n147TvrpG7&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;a href="https://t.co/1ffMlS4jJP"&gt;pic.twitter.com/1ffMlS4jJP&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2047146167893639501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Tamil Nadu Election 2026 | Rajya Sabha MP Kamal Haasan and daughter Shruti Haasan cast vote in Chennai

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Tamil Nadu Elections 2026 | Salem: AIADMK General Secretary, LoP and AIADMK candidate from Edappadi Assembly Constituency, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) says, "I request all the voters to go to the polling booths and cast their votes for the ongoing elections. I'm 100%… &lt;a href="https://t.co/DN41PPEzHc"&gt;https://t.co/DN41PPEzHc&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://t.co/RxdWr8B9Qd"&gt;pic.twitter.com/RxdWr8B9Qd&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047149188425843066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Tamil Nadu Elections 2026: Edappadi K. Palaniswami urges voters to participate in polling exercise 

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Tamil Nadu Elections 2026 | Vijay, TVK chief and candidate from Tiruchirappalli East and Perambur constituencies, arrives at a polling station in Chennai to cast his vote. &lt;a href="https://t.co/VYZ33KXHLE"&gt;pic.twitter.com/VYZ33KXHLE&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047148629530681654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Tamil Nadu Elections 2026: Actor turned politician Vijay arrives to cast vote

Voting has been delayed at a polling station in Tamil Nadu on Thursday after a technical snag was reported during the early hours of polling.&nbsp;The issue occurred at Booth 295 in Duvipuram, located in Thoothukudi district, where a malfunction in the control unit of the electronic voting machine disrupted the process.

Tamil Nadu Elections 2026 : Voting delayed at Thoothukudi booth after machine glitch

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;The Congress-DMK alliance has a proud history of social justice in Tamil Nadu. We are committed to carrying it forward.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;My message to the people of Tamil Nadu: Protect your identity, your language, your rights. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Vote for the INDIA alliance. &lt;br&gt;Vote for Congress. &lt;a href="https://t.co/jRfzSkWTvS"&gt;pic.twitter.com/jRfzSkWTvS&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/2046970614427353146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 22, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Tamil Nadu Elections 2026 | Rahul Gandhi urgers voters to 'protect your identity, your language, your rights'

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="hi" dir="ltr"&gt;पश्चिम बंगाल के भाइयों-बहनों,&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;विचारधारा की इस लड़ाई में BJP को सिर्फ कांग्रेस ही हरा सकती है। वो अधिकार छीनते हैं, हम दिलाते हैं। वो संविधान मिटाते हैं, हम बचाते हैं।&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;वो भारत की विविधता मिटाना चाहते हैं, हम बंगाल के साथ हर संस्कृति, हर भाषा का सम्मान करते हैं।&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;आइए, कांग्रेस को… &lt;a href="https://t.co/M8WhqZoici"&gt;pic.twitter.com/M8WhqZoici&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/2046984202319810660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 22, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

West Bengal Elections 2026 | 'In this battle of ideologies, only the Congress can defeat the BJP': Rahul Gandhi to voters

Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, has entered the election race, taking on Mamata Banerjee and vowing justice for her daughter. “I'll take an oath until my daughter gets justice - I won't comb my hair,” she said.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-why-didn-t-she-save-my-daughter-mother-of-rg-kar-rape-murder-victim-enters-west-bengal-election-fray-vows-to-defeat-mamata-banerjee-1775707531406">Click here to read more</a><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2026/20260409/image-1775708985887.jpg?rect=(0,400,4128,3095)&amp;imwidth=800&amp;imheight=600&amp;format=webp&amp;quality=medium" alt="'Why didn't she save my daughter?': Mother of RG Kar rape-murder victim enters West Bengal election fray, vows to defeat Mamata Banerjee"></figure>

West Bengal Elections 2026: 'Why didn't she save my daughter?': Mother of RG Kar rape-murder victim vows to defeat Mamata Banerjee

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;VIDEO | West Bengal Election 2026: Voting begins in Medinipur in first phase of Assembly elections amid tight security; voters queue up to cast their votes.&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssemblyPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#AssemblyPollsWithPTI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WestBengalPollsWithPTI?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WestBengalPollsWithPTI&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;(Full video available on PTI Videos - &lt;a href="https://t.co/n147TvrpG7"&gt;https://t.co/n147TvrpG7&lt;/a&gt;) &lt;a href="https://t.co/BJtX2Dy7mQ"&gt;pic.twitter.com/BJtX2Dy7mQ&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2047131654247092325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections: Peopel queue to vote in Medinipur 

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#WATCH&lt;/a&gt; | Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram says, "I appreciate the enthusiasm shown by young voters this time. I hope they will vote but they should vote for a stable government, for growth and for welfare measures. They can't vote for a fanciful idea, they have to vote for a… &lt;a href="https://t.co/6RSlnmfq4H"&gt;https://t.co/6RSlnmfq4H&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://t.co/Ac34jJ2VLB"&gt;pic.twitter.com/Ac34jJ2VLB&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;— ANI (@ANI) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047133195947397184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram votes in Tamil Nadu, urges voters to avoid voting for a 'fanciful idea'

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="ta" dir="ltr"&gt;தமிழ்நாட்டு மக்கள் சட்டமன்றத் தேர்தலில் வாக்களிக்க உள்ள வேளையில், அனைத்து வாக்காளர்களும் மிகுந்த உற்சாகத்துடன் இந்த புனிதமான ஜனநாயகக் கடமையை நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டுமெனக் கேட்டுக்கொள்கிறேன். குறிப்பாக, தமிழ்நாட்டின் இளைஞர்களும், பெண்களும் பெருமளவில் திரண்டு வந்து, சாதனை அளவிலான வாக்குகள்…&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/2047126559820235006?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: PM Modi calls on Tamil Nadu to fulfill 'sacred democratic duty with great enthusiasm'

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;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.&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/2047125804509753641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 23, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: PM Modi calls on West Bengal 'to vote in large numbers'

Ahead of the voting for Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026 on Thursday, mock polling was held at the Chennai High School. In West Bengal, mock polling was conducted at the Siliguri Girls' High School in Siliguri to ensure that everything is functioning properly. Polling for the Assembly elections 2026 began at 7:00 am in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase 1), and will conclude at 6:00 pm today in both states.

Mock polling conducted in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal ahead of voting for assembly polls

Voting for single-phase Tamil Nadu elections and the first phase of West Bengal elections begins.All 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and 152 of the total 294 constituencies in West Bengal are going to the polls today.

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 Live Updates: Voting begins

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 Live Updates: Voting is underway in TN and WB, for 234 and 152 seats respectively.

Will Mamata Banerjee secure a 4th term? Can M K Stalin make a comeback? What’s happening on the ground? Scroll down for live updates.

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 Live Updates: Voting is underway in two of India’s most politically watched states, with Tamil Nadu and West Bengal going to the polls on Thursday in the 2026 Assembly elections. The day began with mock polling exercises at select booths, including a school in Chennai and another in Siliguri, to ensure that voting systems were functioning smoothly before the actual process kicked off. Polling opened at 7:00 am in both states and is scheduled to continue until 6:00 pm. Two states, different formats Tamil Nadu is voting in a single phase, meaning the entire state will decide its next government in one go. West Bengal, on the other hand, is holding elections in two phases, with the second round of voting set for April 29. Results for both states will be announced on May 4. Tamil Nadu: A contest with a twist In Tamil Nadu, the main fight is shaping up between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the NDA bloc led by AIADMK. The DMK alliance includes the Congress, DMDK and VCK, while the AIADMK is contesting alongside the BJP and PMK. But this time, there is an added layer. Actor Vijay, entering politics with his party TVK, is making his electoral debut. His entry could disrupt the traditional two-front contest and turn it into a three-way race, something the state has not seen in a while. West Bengal: High stakes lash West Bengal is heading into an intense contest. The ruling Trinamool Congress, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is aiming for a fourth straight term. The BJP, which made significant gains in the last election by winning 77 seats, is pushing hard to convert that momentum into power. Beyond the big states Alongside these elections, bypolls are also being held in Gujarat’s Umreth and Maharashtra’s Baramati and Rahuri constituencies. The results for these will also be declared on May 4. Stay connected to WION for all the updates, analysis, and developments on the West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections Highlights: Voting is underway in TN and WB, for 234 and 152 seats respectively.Will Mamata Banerjee secure a 4th term? Can M K Stalin make a comeback? What’s happening on the ground? Scroll down for live updates.

West Bengal, Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026 Highlights: Bengal nears 90% turnout, Tamil Nadu at 82.24% by 5 pm

Tamil Nadu on Thursday (Apr 23) is set to witness a pivotal electoral battle. For decades, the state has operated as a two-party system, with the DMK and AIADMK periodically trading power. On Thursday, the Southern Indian state would vote across all 234 constituencies, with a third party in the fray. Over 5.67 crore voters will go to the booths from 7 AM to 6 PM to decide whether Chief Minister MK Stalin's DMK extends its rule, whether AIADMK's Edappadi K Palaniswami stages a comeback, or whether actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam hits a political googly.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-polls-eps-attacks-stalin-for-black-shirt-drama-over-delimitation-1776401928527">Tamil Nadu polls: EPS attacks Stalin for "black shirt drama" over Delimitation</a><h2>Over 1 lakh police personnel deployed</h2>According to ANI, 120,000 police personnel and 340,000 government staff have been deployed for the vital elections. Voting will take place at 62 counting centres, with the verdict set to be announced on May 4.<h2>Dravidian Model vs one-family rule</h2>CM Stalin has run a campaign built around the "Dravidian Model" of governance and framed the choice as "Delhi vs Tamil Nadu" to challenge the AIADMK-BJP alliance. With his "Dravidian Model 2.0," he seeks a renewed mandate to advance the state's developmental agenda further. He has the backing of Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, who in recent days has described the AIADMK as "puppets" of the BJP. The DMK is contesting 164 of 234 seats, with Congress taking 28 more in the alliance.Palaniswami, meanwhile, is running on a 297-promise manifesto and the argument that only the AIADMK-BJP combine can end what he calls "one-family rule". The dynastic framing has become the alliance's central line of attack, with PM Narendra Modi himself accusing Stalin of grooming his son Udhayanidhi, currently Deputy CM, as his successor. The AIADMK is contesting 169 seats, the BJP 27.Then there's Vijay. The TVK is contesting every single seat. Vijay himself is standing from two constituencies: Tiruchirappalli East and Perambur.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/alleged-100cr-mismatch-in-vijay-s-poll-affidavits-court-demands-response-1776704690045">Alleged ₹100cr mismatch in Vijay's poll affidavits: Court demands response</a><h2>Key seats</h2>Stalin is contesting from Kolthur, where TVK's VS Babu and AIADMK's candidate are pushing hard. Udhayanidhi is defending Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, a DMK stronghold. Palaniswami is seeking a sixth term from his home constituency of Edappadi in Salem. One notable absence in this polling battle is K Annamalai, the BJP's Tamil Nadu chief, who was widely expected to lead the saffron charge but is not on the candidate list.In 2021, the DMK won 133 seats, the AIADMK 66. The question is whether those numbers hold, shift, or get blown apart entirely by a man better known for his films than his politics.

Is Tamil Nadu heading for a three-way political shake-up? Voters across 234 seats will today decide if M K Stalin retains power, Edappadi K Palaniswami returns, or actor Vijay disrupts the race.

Who has the edge?

Scroll down to read more.

Tamil Nadu on Thursday (Apr 23) is set to witness a pivotal electoral battle. For decades, the state has operated as a two-party system, with the DMK and AIADMK periodically trading power. On Thursday, the Southern Indian state would vote across all 234 constituencies, with a third party in the fray. Over 5.67 crore voters will go to the booths from 7 AM to 6 PM to decide whether Chief Minister MK Stalin's DMK extends its rule, whether AIADMK's Edappadi K Palaniswami stages a comeback, or whether actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam hits a political googly. Also read | Tamil Nadu polls: EPS attacks Stalin for "black shirt drama" over Delimitation Over 1 lakh police personnel deployed According to ANI, 120,000 police personnel and 340,000 government staff have been deployed for the vital elections. Voting will take place at 62 counting centres, with the verdict set to be announced on May 4. Dravidian Model vs one-family rule CM Stalin has run a campaign built around the "Dravidian Model" of governance and framed the choice as "Delhi vs Tamil Nadu" to challenge the AIADMK-BJP alliance. With his "Dravidian Model 2.0," he seeks a renewed mandate to advance the state's developmental agenda further. He has the backing of Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, who in recent days has described the AIADMK as "puppets" of the BJP. The DMK is contesting 164 of 234 seats, with Congress taking 28 more in the alliance. Palaniswami, meanwhile, is running on a 297-promise manifesto and the argument that only the AIADMK-BJP combine can end what he calls "one-family rule". The dynastic framing has become the alliance's central line of attack, with PM Narendra Modi himself accusing Stalin of grooming his son Udhayanidhi, currently Deputy CM, as his successor. The AIADMK is contesting 169 seats, the BJP 27. Then there's Vijay. The TVK is contesting every single seat. Vijay himself is standing from two constituencies: Tiruchirappalli East and Perambur. Also read | Alleged ₹100cr mismatch in Vijay's poll affidavits: Court demands response Key seats Stalin is contesting from Kolthur, where TVK's VS Babu and AIADMK's candidate are pushing hard. Udhayanidhi is defending Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni, a DMK stronghold. Palaniswami is seeking a sixth term from his home constituency of Edappadi in Salem. One notable absence in this polling battle is K Annamalai, the BJP's Tamil Nadu chief, who was widely expected to lead the saffron charge but is not on the candidate list. In 2021, the DMK won 133 seats, the AIADMK 66. The question is whether those numbers hold, shift, or get blown apart entirely by a man better known for his films than his politics.

Is Tamil Nadu heading for a three-way political shake-up? Voters across 234 seats will today decide if M K Stalin retains power, Edappadi K Palaniswami returns, or actor Vijay disrupts the race.Who has the edge?Scroll down to read more.

Stalin vs Palaniswami vs Vijay: Tamil Nadu's most unpredictable election in decades begins today

West Bengal goes to the polls today (Thursday Apr 23) with 152 constituencies across the state voting in Phase 1. Over 3.22 crore voters will cast their ballots in Phase 1, the opening act of a two-phase contest that will ultimately determine whether Mamata Banerjee secures an unprecedented fourth consecutive term as Chief Minister, or whether the BJP finally comes to power in a state it has been chasing for years. The Thursday polls are slated to be a decisive contest between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-put-democracy-in-jeopardy-sc-raps-cm-mamata-banerjee-for-interfering-in-ed-raid-at-i-pac-premises-1776866314032">‘Put democracy in jeopardy’: SC raps Mamata for interfering in ED’s I-PAC raid</a><h2>What the final 48 hours of campaigning looked like</h2>The final days of campaigning have been exactly as bruising as expected, with personal attacks, landmark manifestos and a record-breaking enforcement drive by the Election Commission.Amit Shah led the BJP's closing push with a blizzard of rallies and roadshows, hitting Mamata on law and order, corruption, infiltration and what he called "syndicate raj." He promised Rs 9,000 for farmers, Rs 3,000 monthly for women and unemployed youth, and one crore jobs, a manifesto his party calls "Sonar Bangla."TMC dismissed it as "a recycled catalogue of jumlas," with Mamata calling it a "report card of failed assurances." The outsider narrative remains TMC's sharpest weapon. When Shah allegedly mispronounced the name of Bengali poet Satyendranath Dutta at a rally, the party pounced. "How illiterate can one be about the land they seek to govern? Those who cannot name Bengal's icons correctly have no business claiming to be Bengal's guardians," the TMC said in a statement, slamming BJP as Bangla-Birodhi Bohiragotos (outsider). The party also filed a complaint accusing the BJP of running special trains from Surat to Bengal to move voters, calling it electoral bribery. BJP denied it.<h2>Most watched contests</h2>Among the most watched contests tomorrow is Bhabanipur, where Mamata herself faces Suvendu Adhikari, the man who defeated her in Nandigram in 2021 by fewer than 2,000 votes. Both seats carry enormous symbolic weight. Other critical matchups include Kharagpur Sadar, where Dilip Ghosh makes his return, and Murshidabad, decided by just 2,400 votes last time.The Election Commission has seized over Rs 1,000 crore in cash, liquor and goods, deploying more than 5,000 Flying Squad teams across the state.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/west-bengal-elections-2026-from-suvendu-adhikari-to-humayun-kabir-a-look-at-key-faces-and-seats-in-phase-1-1776668622628">West Bengal Elections 2026:A look at key faces and seats in Phase 1</a><h2>SIR issue</h2>The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls remains a divisive issue. The SIR exercise has resulted in the deletion of anywhere between 60 and 90 lakh names, shrinking the voter base from roughly 7.66 crore to 7.04 crore. TMC calls it voter suppression. The BJP calls it long-overdue housecleaning.In 2021, TMC won over 200 seats with nearly 48.5 per cent of the vote. The BJP's 77 seats represented a significant breakthrough for a party that had previously struggled in Bengal. The question tomorrow is whether that breakthrough was a ceiling or a floor. Phase 2 is set to happen on April 29, and counting is on May 4.&nbsp;

Is West Bengal heading for a political shake-up or continuity? Voting begins across 152 seats as Mamata Banerjee faces a strong challenge from Amit Shah’s BJP.

Will it be a fourth term or a breakthrough moment?

Scroll down to read more.

West Bengal goes to the polls today (Thursday Apr 23) with 152 constituencies across the state voting in Phase 1. Over 3.22 crore voters will cast their ballots in Phase 1, the opening act of a two-phase contest that will ultimately determine whether Mamata Banerjee secures an unprecedented fourth consecutive term as Chief Minister, or whether the BJP finally comes to power in a state it has been chasing for years. The Thursday polls are slated to be a decisive contest between the incumbent Trinamool Congress (TMC) and a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Also read | ‘Put democracy in jeopardy’: SC raps Mamata for interfering in ED’s I-PAC raid What the final 48 hours of campaigning looked like The final days of campaigning have been exactly as bruising as expected, with personal attacks, landmark manifestos and a record-breaking enforcement drive by the Election Commission. Amit Shah led the BJP's closing push with a blizzard of rallies and roadshows, hitting Mamata on law and order, corruption, infiltration and what he called "syndicate raj." He promised Rs 9,000 for farmers, Rs 3,000 monthly for women and unemployed youth, and one crore jobs, a manifesto his party calls "Sonar Bangla." TMC dismissed it as "a recycled catalogue of jumlas," with Mamata calling it a "report card of failed assurances." The outsider narrative remains TMC's sharpest weapon. When Shah allegedly mispronounced the name of Bengali poet Satyendranath Dutta at a rally, the party pounced. "How illiterate can one be about the land they seek to govern? Those who cannot name Bengal's icons correctly have no business claiming to be Bengal's guardians," the TMC said in a statement, slamming BJP as Bangla-Birodhi Bohiragotos (outsider). The party also filed a complaint accusing the BJP of running special trains from Surat to Bengal to move voters, calling it electoral bribery. BJP denied it. Most watched contests Among the most watched contests tomorrow is Bhabanipur, where Mamata herself faces Suvendu Adhikari, the man who defeated her in Nandigram in 2021 by fewer than 2,000 votes. Both seats carry enormous symbolic weight. Other critical matchups include Kharagpur Sadar, where Dilip Ghosh makes his return, and Murshidabad, decided by just 2,400 votes last time. The Election Commission has seized over Rs 1,000 crore in cash, liquor and goods, deploying more than 5,000 Flying Squad teams across the state. Also read | West Bengal Elections 2026:A look at key faces and seats in Phase 1 SIR issue The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls remains a divisive issue. The SIR exercise has resulted in the deletion of anywhere between 60 and 90 lakh names, shrinking the voter base from roughly 7.66 crore to 7.04 crore. TMC calls it voter suppression. The BJP calls it long-overdue housecleaning. In 2021, TMC won over 200 seats with nearly 48.5 per cent of the vote. The BJP's 77 seats represented a significant breakthrough for a party that had previously struggled in Bengal. The question tomorrow is whether that breakthrough was a ceiling or a floor. Phase 2 is set to happen on April 29, and counting is on May 4.

Is West Bengal heading for a political shake-up or continuity? Voting begins across 152 seats as Mamata Banerjee faces a strong challenge from Amit Shah’s BJP.Will it be a fourth term or a breakthrough moment?Scroll down to read more.

West Bengal votes today: Everything at stake as Mamata Banerjee faces her toughest test yet

A devastating road accident took place in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday (April 22) evening, taking 11 lives after a truck crashed into several vehicles. The collision was so intense that a Swift car was pushed into a Bolero carrying a large load of gravel. The impact triggered a fire in the Bolero, trapping passengers inside and leading to the fatalities. The truck driver sustained critical injuries and is currently undergoing treatment. Senior police officer Aparna Rajat Kaushik confirmed the death toll while addressing the media. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the truck's loss of control.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nia-attaches-properties-of-jem-operative-in-2017-lethpora-crpf-camp-attack-case-1776876088869">NIA attaches properties of JeM operative in 2017 Lethpora CRPF camp attack case</a><h2>Watch the chilling video here</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">मिर्जापुर में दर्दनाक और डरावना हादसा। ट्रक की टक्कर से आग का गोला बनी बोलेरो गाड़ी, 10 शव निकाले जाने की पुष्टि। मध्य प्रदेश के मैहर से पूजन- दर्शन करके लौट रहा था परिवार, ड्राइवर सहित जलकर राख बने शव। अल्लाह रहम करें।<a href="https://t.co/5ILTZSSIUi">pic.twitter.com/5ILTZSSIUi</a>&mdash; Zakir Ali Tyagi (@ZakirAliTyagi) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZakirAliTyagi/status/2047014362095972757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Police teams and fire brigade personnel rushed to the scene immediately after receiving the information, according to Kaushik. With the help of local residents, rescue and relief operations started without any delay, she added. "So far, 11 deaths have been reported, and efforts are underway to establish the identities of the victims," the SP said.&nbsp;Police personnel are still deployed at the site, and efforts continue to restore normal traffic movement on the affected route. Preliminary reports suggest that one of the trucks involved has a Bihar registration number, while the other is registered in Madhya Pradesh. Among the cars involved in the accident, one is registered in Sonbhadra district and another in Mirzapur district, the SP said. According to eyewitnesses, the people inside the cars kept crying out for help at the time of the accident, but the fire was so intense that no one could rescue them.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/congresswoman-ansari-attacks-trump-administration-of-naked-corruption-1776872679013/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/congresswoman-ansari-attacks-trump-administration-of-naked-corruption-1776872679013/embed</a>&nbsp;A total of nine occupants in the two cars were burned alive in the accident. The Bolero was carrying eight people, including two women and two children, while the Swift Dzire had only its driver, who also died in the blaze. Additionally, the truck’s driver and helper lost their lives. The identities of those who died in the fire, along with the truck crew, are yet to be confirmed.

11 killed in a tragic Mirzapur road accident after a truck rammed multiple vehicles, triggering a fire. Probe underway; driver in critical condition

A devastating road accident took place in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday (April 22) evening, taking 11 lives after a truck crashed into several vehicles. The collision was so intense that a Swift car was pushed into a Bolero carrying a large load of gravel. The impact triggered a fire in the Bolero, trapping passengers inside and leading to the fatalities. The truck driver sustained critical injuries and is currently undergoing treatment. Senior police officer Aparna Rajat Kaushik confirmed the death toll while addressing the media. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the truck's loss of control. Also Read: NIA attaches properties of JeM operative in 2017 Lethpora CRPF camp attack case Watch the chilling video here

11 killed in Mirzapur crash after truck hits vehicles; fire engulfs Bolero car. Driver in critical condition, investigation underway into cause

Uttar Pradesh tragedy: 11 killed in Mirzapur crash as truck rams multiple vehicles

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday attached multiple immovable properties belonging to a terror operative linked to the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in connection with the 2017 fidayeen attack on a CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The action, carried out under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, follows recent orders issued by the NIA Special Court in Jammu. Officials described the move as a significant step toward dismantling terror infrastructure and financial networks operating in the region.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/malda-violence-election-commission-hands-over-malda-case-investigation-to-nia-1775191480821/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/malda-violence-election-commission-hands-over-malda-case-investigation-to-nia-1775191480821/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the agency, the attached assets include several parcels of land and residential properties located in Lethpora. These properties were identified as proceeds of terrorism and belonged to the accused Fayaz Ahmed Magray, a resident of the same area. Magray was arrested in February 2019 in connection with the case and later chargesheeted under multiple sections of the UAPA and the Ranbir Penal Code. His trial is currently underway.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nia-court-grants-10-more-days-custody-to-7-foreigners-accused-in-terror-conspiracy-case-1774620944603">NIA court grants 10 more days custody to 7 foreigners accused in terror conspiracy case</a>&nbsp;The case pertains to the deadly attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Lethpora on the night of December 30, 2017. Three heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp, killing five CRPF personnel and injuring three others before being neutralised by security forces. Investigations revealed that Magray acted as an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for JeM in South Kashmir. He allegedly played a key role in facilitating the attack by participating in planning meetings, conducting reconnaissance of the target, arranging logistics, and assisting one of the attackers in evading capture.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/malda-sir-judicial-officers-hostage-case-mastermind-moffakkerul-islam-arrested-nia-takes-over-probe-1775219518033">Malda SIR judicial officers hostage mastermind Moffakkerul Islam arrested; NIA takes over probe</a>&nbsp;The probe also identified two other JeM operatives, Noor Mohammad Tantray and Mudasir Ahmad Khan, as co-conspirators. Tantray was killed in an encounter with security forces prior to the attack, while Khan was eliminated in a separate operation later. Officials said the attachment of properties is aimed at crippling the financial backbone of terror operatives and sending a strong message against those supporting terror activities in the Union Territory. &nbsp;

The NIA on Wednesday attached multiple residential properties and land parcels belonging to JeM operative Fayaz Ahmad Magray in Pulwama, linked to the 2017 Lethpora CRPF camp fidayeen attack.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday attached multiple immovable properties belonging to a terror operative linked to the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in connection with the 2017 fidayeen attack on a CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The action, carried out under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, follows recent orders issued by the NIA Special Court in Jammu. Officials described the move as a significant step toward dismantling terror infrastructure and financial networks operating in the region. https://www.wionews.com/videos/malda-violence-election-commission-hands-over-malda-case-investigation-to-nia-1775191480821/embed According to the agency, the attached assets include several parcels of land and residential properties located in Lethpora. These properties were identified as proceeds of terrorism and belonged to the accused Fayaz Ahmed Magray, a resident of the same area. Magray was arrested in February 2019 in connection with the case and later chargesheeted under multiple sections of the UAPA and the Ranbir Penal Code. His trial is currently underway. Also read: NIA court grants 10 more days custody to 7 foreigners accused in terror conspiracy case The case pertains to the deadly attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Lethpora on the night of December 30, 2017. Three heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp, killing five CRPF personnel and injuring three others before being neutralised by security forces. Investigations revealed that Magray acted as an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for JeM in South Kashmir. He allegedly played a key role in facilitating the attack by participating in planning meetings, conducting reconnaissance of the target, arranging logistics, and assisting one of the attackers in evading capture. Also read: Malda SIR judicial officers hostage mastermind Moffakkerul Islam arrested; NIA takes over probe The probe also identified two other JeM operatives, Noor Mohammad Tantray and Mudasir Ahmad Khan, as co-conspirators. Tantray was killed in an encounter with security forces prior to the attack, while Khan was eliminated in a separate operation later. Officials said the attachment of properties is aimed at crippling the financial backbone of terror operatives and sending a strong message against those supporting terror activities in the Union Territory.

The NIA on Wednesday attached multiple residential properties and land parcels belonging to JeM operative Fayaz Ahmad Magray in Pulwama, linked to the 2017 Lethpora CRPF camp fidayeen attack.

NIA attaches properties of JeM operative in 2017 Lethpora CRPF camp attack case

In a powerful display of unity and resilience, residents of Gurez Valley, alongside school and college students, organised a solemn solidarity march condemning last year’s attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam. The event highlighted the region’s firm stand against violence and its enduring commitment to peace. Beginning in the early hours, hundreds of participants gathered carrying placards and banners with messages such as “Gurez Against Terrorism,” “Innocent Lives Matter,” and “United Against Violence.” The march moved peacefully along the main routes of Gurez, with participants raising calls for harmony and coexistence.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pahalgam-terror-attack-pm-modi-remembers-innocent-victims-sends-strong-message-on-terrorism-1776860968625/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/pahalgam-terror-attack-pm-modi-remembers-innocent-victims-sends-strong-message-on-terrorism-1776860968625/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Students from various educational institutions played a central role, reflecting the determination of the younger generation to reject hatred and bloodshed. Teachers, community elders, and local leaders joined them, reinforcing a shared vision of a peaceful and progressive Kashmir.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pahalgam-attack-what-changed-in-one-year-and-how-a-town-is-learning-to-heal-1776829145096">Pahalgam attack: What changed in one year and how a town is learning to heal</a>&nbsp;Local representatives, addressing the gathering, strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. They emphasised that such acts of violence have no place in society and continue to hinder the region’s path toward stability and development. The march concluded with a collective pledge to uphold peace, unity, and brotherhood, sending a clear message that violence cannot weaken the spirit of the people of Kashmir.&nbsp;Meanwhile, in Karnah Sub-Division, over 2,000 students participated in similar solidarity marches to honor the victims of the Pahalgam attack. Students from government and private institutions marched at AGS Hajinar, GDC Kandi, and AGS Tithwal, voicing strong condemnation of terrorism and expressing support for the nation, the armed forces, and bereaved families. Their participation underscored a growing sentiment among the youth, one that stands firmly for peace, democracy, and a prosperous future for Jammu &amp; Kashmir. Across both regions, the message was resolute: unity, hope, and collective strength will always prevail over violence and division.

Local representatives, addressing the gathering, strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. They emphasised that such acts of violence have no place in society.

In a powerful display of unity and resilience, residents of Gurez Valley, alongside school and college students, organised a solemn solidarity march condemning last year’s attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam. The event highlighted the region’s firm stand against violence and its enduring commitment to peace. Beginning in the early hours, hundreds of participants gathered carrying placards and banners with messages such as “Gurez Against Terrorism,” “Innocent Lives Matter,” and “United Against Violence.” The march moved peacefully along the main routes of Gurez, with participants raising calls for harmony and coexistence. https://www.wionews.com/videos/pahalgam-terror-attack-pm-modi-remembers-innocent-victims-sends-strong-message-on-terrorism-1776860968625/embed Students from various educational institutions played a central role, reflecting the determination of the younger generation to reject hatred and bloodshed. Teachers, community elders, and local leaders joined them, reinforcing a shared vision of a peaceful and progressive Kashmir. Also read: Pahalgam attack: What changed in one year and how a town is learning to heal Local representatives, addressing the gathering, strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. They emphasised that such acts of violence have no place in society and continue to hinder the region’s path toward stability and development. The march concluded with a collective pledge to uphold peace, unity, and brotherhood, sending a clear message that violence cannot weaken the spirit of the people of Kashmir. Meanwhile, in Karnah Sub-Division, over 2,000 students participated in similar solidarity marches to honor the victims of the Pahalgam attack. Students from government and private institutions marched at AGS Hajinar, GDC Kandi, and AGS Tithwal, voicing strong condemnation of terrorism and expressing support for the nation, the armed forces, and bereaved families. Their participation underscored a growing sentiment among the youth, one that stands firmly for peace, democracy, and a prosperous future for Jammu & Kashmir. Across both regions, the message was resolute: unity, hope, and collective strength will always prevail over violence and division.

Local representatives, addressing the gathering, strongly condemned all forms of terrorism and expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. They emphasised that such acts of violence have no place in society.

Kashmir rallies for peace on Pahalgam attack anniversary in Gurez and Karnah

The Supreme Court on Wednesday castigated West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for barging in and interfering in an Enforcement Directorate search at the Kolkata residence of Pratik Jain, co-founder and director of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee, or I-PAC, in January as part of a money laundering investigation.&nbsp;The top court described the socio-political atmosphere in the poll-bound state as an “extraordinary situation,” while referring to the CM’s entry into the premises mid-raid and forcefully taking away a laptop, phone and files.&nbsp;The court observed that such an act by a sitting chief minister put democracy in jeopardy.&nbsp;“This is not a dispute between the state and the union. We never thought that in this country, a day will come when a sitting CM will walk into the office where some investigating agency is. The chief minister of any state cannot walk in in the midst of an investigation, put the democracy in peril, and then say that ‘don’t convert this into a dispute between the state and the union’. This is per se an act committed by an individual who happens to be the chief minister keeping the whole democracy in jeopardy,” said a bench of Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-bound-ship-among-two-vessels-attacked-in-strait-of-hormuz-seized-by-iran-s-irgc-1776859709438">India-bound ship among two vessels attacked in Strait of Hormuz, seized by Iran's IRGC</a><h2>‘Court cannot shut its eyes to practical realities’</h2>&nbsp;The court told the counsels arguing on behalf of the West Bengal administration that they may argue on abstract legal principles, but the court cannot shut its eyes to the practical realities in the state.&nbsp;The Supreme Court also took note of the seven judicial officers, including three women, being held hostage for several hours inside the Kaliachak 2 Block Development Office (BDO) in Bengal’s Malda district by a crowd, which alleged deletion of names of genuine voters from the electoral rolls.&nbsp;“This is an extraordinary situation. Before the other bench where the FIR is under question, we have seen the situation that several judicial officers had been kept hostage. And you want the petitioner should have gone to a magistrate under section 200? We cannot shut our eyes to the reality of what’s happening. We cannot lose sight of the practical situation which is present in the state,” said the top court bench.The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court was forced to intervene personally, placing group calls to the home secretary and the Director General of Police before the judicial officers were rescued late at night.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-there-will-be-consequences-india-warns-iran-after-attack-on-2-tankers-in-hormuz-1776597009259">‘There will be consequences,’ India warns Iran after attack on 2 tankers in Hormuz</a><h2>‘Constitution framers would have disapproved’</h2>&nbsp;The top court said the Constitution framers would have disapproved of the act.&nbsp;“You have taken us through the writings of HM Seervai, BR Ambedkar, but none of them would have conceived this situation in this country that one day a sitting Chief Minister will walk into the office during an ongoing investigation,” the court said.&nbsp;The stinging remark came a day before polling for assembly elections in the state.&nbsp;The ED had carried out searches at multiple locations, including Kolkata and Delhi, as part of a probe into alleged financial irregularities linked to I-PAC. The ED said its action is not politically motivated and that the search is evidence-based and not targeted at any political establishment.&nbsp;I-PAC has been the TMC’s political consultant.I-PAC co-founder Vinesh Chandel was also recently arrested by the ED for his alleged involvement in the coal scam.

The Supreme Court bench of Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria told the counsels arguing on behalf of the West Bengal administration that they may argue on abstract legal principles, but the court cannot shut its eyes to the practical realities in the state.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday castigated West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for barging in and interfering in an Enforcement Directorate search at the Kolkata residence of Pratik Jain, co-founder and director of political consultancy firm Indian Political Action Committee, or I-PAC, in January as part of a money laundering investigation. The top court described the socio-political atmosphere in the poll-bound state as an “extraordinary situation,” while referring to the CM’s entry into the premises mid-raid and forcefully taking away a laptop, phone and files. The court observed that such an act by a sitting chief minister put democracy in jeopardy. “This is not a dispute between the state and the union. We never thought that in this country, a day will come when a sitting CM will walk into the office where some investigating agency is. The chief minister of any state cannot walk in in the midst of an investigation, put the democracy in peril, and then say that ‘don’t convert this into a dispute between the state and the union’. This is per se an act committed by an individual who happens to be the chief minister keeping the whole democracy in jeopardy,” said a bench of Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria. Also Read: India-bound ship among two vessels attacked in Strait of Hormuz, seized by Iran's IRGC ‘Court cannot shut its eyes to practical realities’ The court told the counsels arguing on behalf of the West Bengal administration that they may argue on abstract legal principles, but the court cannot shut its eyes to the practical realities in the state. The Supreme Court also took note of the seven judicial officers, including three women, being held hostage for several hours inside the Kaliachak 2 Block Development Office (BDO) in Bengal’s Malda district by a crowd, which alleged deletion of names of genuine voters from the electoral rolls. “This is an extraordinary situation. Before the other bench where the FIR is under question, we have seen the situation that several judicial officers had been kept hostage. And you want the petitioner should have gone to a magistrate under section 200? We cannot shut our eyes to the reality of what’s happening. We cannot lose sight of the practical situation which is present in the state,” said the top court bench. The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court was forced to intervene personally, placing group calls to the home secretary and the Director General of Police before the judicial officers were rescued late at night. Also Read: ‘There will be consequences,’ India warns Iran after attack on 2 tankers in Hormuz ‘Constitution framers would have disapproved’ The top court said the Constitution framers would have disapproved of the act. “You have taken us through the writings of HM Seervai, BR Ambedkar, but none of them would have conceived this situation in this country that one day a sitting Chief Minister will walk into the office during an ongoing investigation,” the court said. The stinging remark came a day before polling for assembly elections in the state. The ED had carried out searches at multiple locations, including Kolkata and Delhi, as part of a probe into alleged financial irregularities linked to I-PAC. The ED said its action is not politically motivated and that the search is evidence-based and not targeted at any political establishment. I-PAC has been the TMC’s political consultant. I-PAC co-founder Vinesh Chandel was also recently arrested by the ED for his alleged involvement in the coal scam.

The Supreme Court bench of Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria told the counsels arguing on behalf of the West Bengal administration that they may argue on abstract legal principles, but the court cannot shut its eyes to the practical realities in the state.

‘Put democracy in jeopardy’: SC raps CM Mamata Banerjee for interfering in ED raid at I-PAC premises

A day after making a sexist ‘bedroom’ remark on women, Independent Bihar MP Pappu Yadav on Wednesday sparked a new controversy while clarifying previous statements. Yadav on Wednesday said that around 70 to 80 per cent of politicians watch porn. Reacting to a notice issued by the Bihar State Women’s Commission over his remarks, MP Pappu Yadav said, “I have said this on the Floor of the House too that 70–80 per cent of politicians watch porn.” “So, get everyone checked. If there is porn on my phone, check me too. Who are these people who have served me a notice? Who are they with? There are several photos with former ministers. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” he added.&nbsp;"I had said that male politicians do not let women enter politics without exploiting them. Is that incorrect?...I am fighting women's fight...They exploit women...There is sexual exploitation against 755 male politicians and there are chargesheets against 155...The whole of India is tainted. If I speak of male politicians, why are they (Women's Commission) troubled?...These politicians exploit women and then they speak of Women's Reservation Bill," he further added.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Malda, West Bengal: Independent MP Pappu Yadav says, &quot;...I have said this on the Floor of the House too that 70-80% of the politicians watch porn. So, get everyone checked. If there is porn on my phone, check me too...Who are these people who have served me a notice? Who… <a href="https://t.co/AhuA9P87yg">https://t.co/AhuA9P87yg</a> <a href="https://t.co/J1eoDDBgnL">pic.twitter.com/J1eoDDBgnL</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2046787014109106507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h3>Pappu Yadav on women's exploitation in politics</h3>Earlier on Tuesday, Pappu Yadav claimed that women would never receive respect in politics. Taking suo motu cognisance of the remarks, the Bihar State Women’s Commission responded to statements made by Independent MP Pappu Yadav, in which he alleged that politicians exploit women and that they cannot enter politics without visiting a “male leader’s room.” “In India, women are called goddesses, but they will never be respected here. The system and society are responsible for this. Who is indulging in domestic violence? Who preys on women, from America to India, it is politicians! Ninety per cent of women cannot start in politics without going to a male leader’s room,” he said. “A culture of exploiting women has become ingrained. Go to school, and your daughter faces exploitation; go to college, and there is exploitation in the name of ragging; go to the office, and exploitation is there as well. Leaders behave like vultures toward women,” he added. Following his remarks, a widespread controversy has erupted, with political leaders accusing him of making anti-women remarks. In response to his comments, the Bihar State Women’s Commission sought clarification from Pappu Yadav.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/delhi-horror-senior-irs-officer-s-22-year-old-daughter-strangled-to-death-in-amar-colony-1776858144638">Delhi horror: Senior IRS officer’s 22-year-old daughter strangled to death in Amar Colony</a>

Responding to a notice from the Bihar State Women’s Commission over his remarks, MP Pappu Yadav said he had made the same claim on the floor of the House, stating that 70–80 per cent of politicians watch porn.

A day after making a sexist ‘bedroom’ remark on women, Independent Bihar MP Pappu Yadav on Wednesday sparked a new controversy while clarifying previous statements. Yadav on Wednesday said that around 70 to 80 per cent of politicians watch porn. Reacting to a notice issued by the Bihar State Women’s Commission over his remarks, MP Pappu Yadav said, “I have said this on the Floor of the House too that 70–80 per cent of politicians watch porn.” “So, get everyone checked. If there is porn on my phone, check me too. Who are these people who have served me a notice? Who are they with? There are several photos with former ministers. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” he added. "I had said that male politicians do not let women enter politics without exploiting them. Is that incorrect?...I am fighting women's fight...They exploit women...There is sexual exploitation against 755 male politicians and there are chargesheets against 155...The whole of India is tainted. If I speak of male politicians, why are they (Women's Commission) troubled?...These politicians exploit women and then they speak of Women's Reservation Bill," he further added.

Responding to a notice from the Bihar State Women’s Commission over his remarks, MP Pappu Yadav said he had made the same claim on the floor of the House, stating that 70–80 per cent of politicians watch porn.

'70–80% politicians watch...': Pappu Yadav sparks new row day after 'bedroom' remark

An IRS officer's 22-year-old daughter was murdered in South Delhi’s Amar Colony on Wednesday (April 22, 2026). Police suspect the involvement of a former house help and believe that the woman was strangled to death, likely with a mobile phone charging cable, as it was found at the scene. A senior police officer stated that the incident took place on Wednesday while her parents were out for a walk, suspecting that the house help had entered the house and killed her. "He was recently removed from his job," police said. The deceased woman has been identified as the daughter of Dinesh Gupta, a 1997-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, who was also preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. The incident came to light when Gupta returned home and discovered his daughter lying in a pool of blood. As soon as police were alerted about the incident, they rushed to the site, where they took custody of the body and launched a probe, according to several media reports.<h3>Prime suspect revealed</h3>Police suspicion has centred on Rahul Meena, a 19-year-old domestic worker employed at the house. Officials said he has been missing since the time of the incident, and attempts to locate him have so far failed. He had been working there for around eight months and was familiar with the family’s daily routine. Police noted that a key was usually kept at a designated spot for domestic staff, which he was aware of.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pahalgam-pakistan-and-power-politics-how-the-us-balances-india-and-islamabad-1776845598418">Pahalgam, Pakistan and power politics: How the US balances India and Islamabad</a>

Investigators revealed that there is a strong likelihood that she was strangled with wires. Special police teams have been set up to catch the suspect, and officers are reviewing CCTV footage from across Amar Colony to trace the person’s escape route.

An IRS officer's 22-year-old daughter was murdered in South Delhi’s Amar Colony on Wednesday (April 22, 2026). Police suspect the involvement of a former house help and believe that the woman was strangled to death, likely with a mobile phone charging cable, as it was found at the scene. A senior police officer stated that the incident took place on Wednesday while her parents were out for a walk, suspecting that the house help had entered the house and killed her. "He was recently removed from his job," police said. The deceased woman has been identified as the daughter of Dinesh Gupta, a 1997-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, who was also preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. The incident came to light when Gupta returned home and discovered his daughter lying in a pool of blood. As soon as police were alerted about the incident, they rushed to the site, where they took custody of the body and launched a probe, according to several media reports. Prime suspect revealed Police suspicion has centred on Rahul Meena, a 19-year-old domestic worker employed at the house. Officials said he has been missing since the time of the incident, and attempts to locate him have so far failed. He had been working there for around eight months and was familiar with the family’s daily routine. Police noted that a key was usually kept at a designated spot for domestic staff, which he was aware of. Also read: Pahalgam, Pakistan and power politics: How the US balances India and Islamabad

Investigators revealed that there is a strong likelihood that she was strangled with wires. Special police teams have been set up to catch the suspect, and officers are reviewing CCTV footage from across Amar Colony to trace the person’s escape route.

Delhi horror: Senior IRS officer’s 22-year-old daughter strangled to death in Amar Colony

The first phase of the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 is set for April 23, marking a crucial moment in the state’s high-stakes political battle. This phase covers several key constituencies and has drawn national attention due to intense campaigning and sharp political rivalries. Among the prominent candidates is Suvendu Adhikari, considered a major face of the BJP in the state. The contest reflects a broader struggle for power between dominant regional forces and national parties, making the opening phase a significant indicator of the election’s overall direction.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-stalin-to-vijay-a-look-at-key-faces-and-seats-in-tamil-nadu-assembly-elections-1776240734260">From Stalin to Vijay: A look at key faces and seats in Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections</a><h3>Nandigram: Suvendu Adhikari vs Pabitra Kar</h3>In Nandigram, the spotlight is once again on BJP's main face in Bengal - Suvendu Adhikari - who faces Pabitra Kar of the TMC. Adhikari, once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, has since become one of her fiercest rivals. He is contesting again from Nandigram, a seat he famously won in 2021 by defeating Banerjee, and is also in the fray from Bhabanipur. Nandigram holds deep political significance for Banerjee, as it was the epicentre of the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement that propelled her and the TMC to power in West Bengal. Her defeat here in 2021 was both symbolic and politically significant. This makes the constituency not just an electoral battleground, but a prestige fight closely tied to Banerjee’s political legacy.<h3>Baharampur: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury vs Subrata Maitra</h3>In Baharampur, a high-profile contest is unfolding between Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Subrata Maitra. A veteran leader of the Indian National Congress, Chowdhury is a five-time MP from Baharampur and has served as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He is now contesting the assembly election after his defeat in the 2024 parliamentary polls. Facing him is Maitra of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the sitting MLA, making this a closely watched battle with significant political stakes in the constituency.<h3>Asansol Dakshin: Agnimitra Paul vs Tapas Banerjee</h3>Agnimitra Paul, a prominent BJP face in the state, returns to defend her position after her 2021 win. She is challenged by TMC’s Tapas Banerjee, a seasoned politician who previously held the seat for a decade.<h2>Kharagpur Sadar: Dilip Ghosh vs Pradip Sarkar</h2>In Kharagpur Sadar, the contest brings together two strong political figures: Dilip Ghosh of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Pradip Sarkar of the All India Trinamool Congress. A senior BJP leader and former state president of the party, Ghosh previously won this seat in 2016 and is seeking to reclaim it, banking on his organisational strength and grassroots appeal. His rival, Pradip Sarkar, represents the ruling TMC and had secured victory in the 2019 bypoll, giving the party control over the constituency. The contest is seen as a direct face-off between BJP’s early expansion in the region and TMC’s consolidation of its position in subsequent years.<h3>Mathabhanga: Nisith Pramanik vs Sablu Barman</h3>In Mathabhanga (SC), the contest features a high-profile face-off between Nisith Pramanik of the BJP and Sablu Barman of the TMC. Pramanik, a former Union minister and influential BJP leader in North Bengal, is seen as a key figure in the party’s efforts to consolidate its base in the region’s Scheduled Caste constituencies.On the other side, Sablu Barman represents the ruling TMC’s attempt to retain control of the seat amid a multi-cornered contest that also includes candidates from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress.<h3>Domkal: Humayun Kabir vs Mostafijur Rahaman</h3>Former IPS officer Humayun Kabir, once known for his tough policing and crackdown on organised crime, is contesting from Domkal in Murshidabad district.Kabir, a 2003-batch IPS officer of the West Bengal cadre, had earned a reputation of taking on hardened criminals, including the arrest of notorious gangster “Hathkata Dilip.” Now re-entering the electoral fray, he has been fielded by TMC from Domkal instead of Debra, where he had previously contested. He is up against Mostafijur Rahaman of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).<h2>Rejinagar: Humayun Kabir vs Ataur Rahaman&nbsp;</h2>Humayun Kabir, a former TMC MLA from Bharatpur who was expelled from the party in December 2025 following controversies surrounding the proposed construction of a Babri Masjid replica, is contesting from Rejinagar and Naoda (Nowda) in Murshidabad district. A former TMC minister, now contesting under his own banner, the Aam Janata Unnayan Party, after his expulsion from the TMC. He is up against Ataur Rahaman of TMC. The BJP has nominated Bapan Ghosh, and Congress candidate is Jillu Sheikh. In 2021, TMC won the seat. Interestingly, HUmayun Kabir is also contesting from Nowda against BJP's Rana Mondal, TMC's Shaina Momtaz Khan and Congress' Matiur Rahman.<h3>Maldaha (SC): Lipika Barman Ghosh vs Gopal Chandra Saha</h3>The Maldaha (SC) seat is witnessing a keen contest between Lipika Barman Ghosh of the TMC and Gopal Chandra Saha of the BJP. The constituency holds strategic importance within the SC/ST belt of Malda district, where electoral dynamics have been evolving rapidly. Once considered a bastion of the Indian National Congress (INC), the region saw a notable shift during the 2019 elections, when the BJP made significant inroads.&nbsp;<h2>Raiganj: Kaushik Choudhury vs Krishna Kalyani&nbsp;</h2>TMC's Krishna Kalyani, who had earlier won the seat on a BJP ticket in 2024 before switching sides, is now contesting against BJP’s Kaushik Choudhury. Raiganj has emerged as a crucial battleground, with a significant Muslim electorate—around 42–49percent—often playing a decisive role in determining the outcome. Over the past decade, the seat has witnessed major political shifts, moving from Congress to CPI(M) in 2014, then to the BJP in 2019, and now becoming a closely fought contest between the BJP and TMC. Bordering Bangladesh, the constituency is sensitive to issues such as cross-border movement, the role of border security forces, and policies like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), all of which influence voter sentiment.<h2>Other key constituencies</h2>Other key constituencies to watch include Balurghat, Onda, Darjeeling, and Jangipur, each reflecting distinct regional and political dynamics. In Jangipur, the All India Trinamool Congress has fielded Jakir Hossain, a prominent businessman known as the “bidi king.” ADR report highlight his significant financial profile, with declared assets worth around ₹133 crore, making him the richest candidates in the fray. &nbsp;In Onda, the contest draws attention due to the presence of Subrata Dutta, who has been noted in reports for having the highest number of criminal cases among candidates in this set of constituencies. The seat remains a key TMC–BJP battleground, reflecting both anti-incumbency concerns and organisational strength on the ground. In Balurghat, rural and border-area issues dominate the narrative. Darjeeling continues to remain politically sensitive in the hill region, where identity, autonomy, and regional party alliances play a decisive role, with the BJP and its local partners competing against the TMC’s expansion efforts.<h2>Which day will decide the fate of West Bengal Assembly?</h2>The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that polling for all 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes is set for May 4, with the entire election process expected to conclude by May 6. The state has a total electorate of over 6.45 crore voters. According to the ECI, the first phase will cover 152 constituencies. The deadline for filing nominations is April 6, followed by scrutiny on April 7, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until April 9. The second phase will include 142 constituencies, with its notification scheduled for April 2, 2026. Candidates can submit nominations until April 9, with scrutiny on April 10 and withdrawal permitted until April 13. In the last West Bengal Assembly election held in 2021, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee, won a decisive landslide victory.

Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari lead a fierce BJP–TMC battle as West Bengal begins phase 1 polling. Key contests across 152 seats feature leaders like Dilip Ghosh, shaping the high-stakes election outcome.

The first phase of the West Bengal Assembly Elections 2021 is set for April 23, marking a crucial moment in the state’s high-stakes political battle. This phase covers several key constituencies and has drawn national attention due to intense campaigning and sharp political rivalries. Among the prominent candidates is Suvendu Adhikari, considered a major face of the BJP in the state. The contest reflects a broader struggle for power between dominant regional forces and national parties, making the opening phase a significant indicator of the election’s overall direction. Also Read: From Stalin to Vijay: A look at key faces and seats in Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections Nandigram: Suvendu Adhikari vs Pabitra Kar In Nandigram, the spotlight is once again on BJP's main face in Bengal - Suvendu Adhikari - who faces Pabitra Kar of the TMC. Adhikari, once a close aide of Mamata Banerjee, has since become one of her fiercest rivals. He is contesting again from Nandigram, a seat he famously won in 2021 by defeating Banerjee, and is also in the fray from Bhabanipur. Nandigram holds deep political significance for Banerjee, as it was the epicentre of the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement that propelled her and the TMC to power in West Bengal. Her defeat here in 2021 was both symbolic and politically significant. This makes the constituency not just an electoral battleground, but a prestige fight closely tied to Banerjee’s political legacy. Baharampur: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury vs Subrata Maitra In Baharampur, a high-profile contest is unfolding between Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Subrata Maitra. A veteran leader of the Indian National Congress, Chowdhury is a five-time MP from Baharampur and has served as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He is now contesting the assembly election after his defeat in the 2024 parliamentary polls. Facing him is Maitra of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the sitting MLA, making this a closely watched battle with significant political stakes in the constituency. Asansol Dakshin: Agnimitra Paul vs Tapas Banerjee Agnimitra Paul, a prominent BJP face in the state, returns to defend her position after her 2021 win. She is challenged by TMC’s Tapas Banerjee, a seasoned politician who previously held the seat for a decade. Kharagpur Sadar: Dilip Ghosh vs Pradip Sarkar In Kharagpur Sadar, the contest brings together two strong political figures: Dilip Ghosh of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Pradip Sarkar of the All India Trinamool Congress. A senior BJP leader and former state president of the party, Ghosh previously won this seat in 2016 and is seeking to reclaim it, banking on his organisational strength and grassroots appeal. His rival, Pradip Sarkar, represents the ruling TMC and had secured victory in the 2019 bypoll, giving the party control over the constituency. The contest is seen as a direct face-off between BJP’s early expansion in the region and TMC’s consolidation of its position in subsequent years. Mathabhanga: Nisith Pramanik vs Sablu Barman In Mathabhanga (SC), the contest features a high-profile face-off between Nisith Pramanik of the BJP and Sablu Barman of the TMC. Pramanik, a former Union minister and influential BJP leader in North Bengal, is seen as a key figure in the party’s efforts to consolidate its base in the region’s Scheduled Caste constituencies.On the other side, Sablu Barman represents the ruling TMC’s attempt to retain control of the seat amid a multi-cornered contest that also includes candidates from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress. Domkal: Humayun Kabir vs Mostafijur Rahaman Former IPS officer Humayun Kabir, once known for his tough policing and crackdown on organised crime, is contesting from Domkal in Murshidabad district. Kabir, a 2003-batch IPS officer of the West Bengal cadre, had earned a reputation of taking on hardened criminals, including the arrest of notorious gangster “Hathkata Dilip.” Now re-entering the electoral fray, he has been fielded by TMC from Domkal instead of Debra, where he had previously contested. He is up against Mostafijur Rahaman of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Rejinagar: Humayun Kabir vs Ataur Rahaman Humayun Kabir, a former TMC MLA from Bharatpur who was expelled from the party in December 2025 following controversies surrounding the proposed construction of a Babri Masjid replica, is contesting from Rejinagar and Naoda (Nowda) in Murshidabad district. A former TMC minister, now contesting under his own banner, the Aam Janata Unnayan Party, after his expulsion from the TMC. He is up against Ataur Rahaman of TMC. The BJP has nominated Bapan Ghosh, and Congress candidate is Jillu Sheikh. In 2021, TMC won the seat. Interestingly, HUmayun Kabir is also contesting from Nowda against BJP's Rana Mondal, TMC's Shaina Momtaz Khan and Congress' Matiur Rahman. Maldaha (SC): Lipika Barman Ghosh vs Gopal Chandra Saha The Maldaha (SC) seat is witnessing a keen contest between Lipika Barman Ghosh of the TMC and Gopal Chandra Saha of the BJP. The constituency holds strategic importance within the SC/ST belt of Malda district, where electoral dynamics have been evolving rapidly. Once considered a bastion of the Indian National Congress (INC), the region saw a notable shift during the 2019 elections, when the BJP made significant inroads. Raiganj: Kaushik Choudhury vs Krishna Kalyani TMC's Krishna Kalyani, who had earlier won the seat on a BJP ticket in 2024 before switching sides, is now contesting against BJP’s Kaushik Choudhury. Raiganj has emerged as a crucial battleground, with a significant Muslim electorate—around 42–49percent—often playing a decisive role in determining the outcome. Over the past decade, the seat has witnessed major political shifts, moving from Congress to CPI(M) in 2014, then to the BJP in 2019, and now becoming a closely fought contest between the BJP and TMC. Bordering Bangladesh, the constituency is sensitive to issues such as cross-border movement, the role of border security forces, and policies like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), all of which influence voter sentiment. Other key constituencies Other key constituencies to watch include Balurghat, Onda, Darjeeling, and Jangipur, each reflecting distinct regional and political dynamics. In Jangipur, the All India Trinamool Congress has fielded Jakir Hossain, a prominent businessman known as the “bidi king.” ADR report highlight his significant financial profile, with declared assets worth around ₹133 crore, making him the richest candidates in the fray. In Onda, the contest draws attention due to the presence of Subrata Dutta, who has been noted in reports for having the highest number of criminal cases among candidates in this set of constituencies. The seat remains a key TMC–BJP battleground, reflecting both anti-incumbency concerns and organisational strength on the ground. In Balurghat, rural and border-area issues dominate the narrative. Darjeeling continues to remain politically sensitive in the hill region, where identity, autonomy, and regional party alliances play a decisive role, with the BJP and its local partners competing against the TMC’s expansion efforts. Which day will decide the fate of West Bengal Assembly? The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that polling for all 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes is set for May 4, with the entire election process expected to conclude by May 6. The state has a total electorate of over 6.45 crore voters. According to the ECI, the first phase will cover 152 constituencies. The deadline for filing nominations is April 6, followed by scrutiny on April 7, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until April 9. The second phase will include 142 constituencies, with its notification scheduled for April 2, 2026. Candidates can submit nominations until April 9, with scrutiny on April 10 and withdrawal permitted until April 13. In the last West Bengal Assembly election held in 2021, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee, won a decisive landslide victory.

Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari lead a fierce BJP–TMC battle as West Bengal begins phase 1 polling. Key contests across 152 seats feature leaders like Dilip Ghosh, shaping the high-stakes election outcome.

West Bengal Elections 2026: From Suvendu Adhikari to Humayun Kabir - A look at key faces and seats in Phase 1

A year after the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives in India, details have emerged of how the country averted a major missile strike on the national capital during the subsequent military escalation with Pakistan. The April 22, 2025, attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, triggered a strong Indian response in the form of Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). At the peak of the conflict in May last year, Pakistan is believed to have launched a ballistic missile, identified as either a Fatah-II or a Shaheen, with New Delhi as its intended target. On May 10, 2025, the Indian military announced that it had successfully foiled an attempt to strike the capital using a Fatah-II missile.&nbsp;Subsequent reports indicate that the missile was intercepted by an Indian Air Force unit stationed at Sirsa in Haryana, a key forward air base near the western border. The interception was carried out using the Barak-8 surface-to-air missile system, preventing what could have been a catastrophic strike on the densely populated capital.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/iran-sets-condition-for-talks-in-pakistan-after-trump-s-ceasefire-extension-hormuz-kharg-island-islamabad-iran-port-blockade-1776841360874">If they seek war, we are ready...': Iran sets condition for talks in Pakistan after Trump's ceasefire extension</a><h2>What is Barak 8 missile?</h2>The Barak-8, a medium-range surface-to-air missile system jointly developed by India and Israel, played a decisive role in neutralising the threat. With an operational range of around 70 kilometres, extendable to 100 kilometres, the system is designed to counter a wide range of aerial threats, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, fighter aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.&nbsp;Equipped with advanced digital radar, modern RF sensors, and a two-way data link, the Barak-8 offers all-weather, 360-degree protection. It can engage multiple targets simultaneously through its multi-function surveillance, tracking and guidance capabilities. The missile travels at speeds of up to Mach 2 and carries a 60-kg warhead designed to detonate in proximity to its target.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lufthansa-grounds-20-000-flights-as-jet-fuel-prices-increase-amid-west-asia-war-1776839762778">Lufthansa grounds 20,000 flights as jet fuel prices increase amid West Asia war</a>&nbsp;Visual evidence of the interception surfaced days after the incident, with debris believed to be from the Pakistani missile recovered in Sirsa and videos circulating widely online.&nbsp;According to a report by The Times of India (TOI), the operation was led by Air Commodore Rohit Kapil, the Air Officer Commanding of the IAF’s 45 Wing at Sirsa. His prompt decision-making and operational leadership were credited with ensuring the successful interception and preventing large-scale casualties.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In May 2025, the IAF intercepted a Pakistani Fatah-II missile targeting New Delhi using the Barak-8 system. Led by Air Commodore Rohit Kapil, the operation successfully prevented a catastrophic strike.

A year after the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives in India, details have emerged of how the country averted a major missile strike on the national capital during the subsequent military escalation with Pakistan. The April 22, 2025, attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, triggered a strong Indian response in the form of Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). At the peak of the conflict in May last year, Pakistan is believed to have launched a ballistic missile, identified as either a Fatah-II or a Shaheen, with New Delhi as its intended target. On May 10, 2025, the Indian military announced that it had successfully foiled an attempt to strike the capital using a Fatah-II missile. Subsequent reports indicate that the missile was intercepted by an Indian Air Force unit stationed at Sirsa in Haryana, a key forward air base near the western border. The interception was carried out using the Barak-8 surface-to-air missile system, preventing what could have been a catastrophic strike on the densely populated capital. Also read: If they seek war, we are ready...': Iran sets condition for talks in Pakistan after Trump's ceasefire extension What is Barak 8 missile? The Barak-8, a medium-range surface-to-air missile system jointly developed by India and Israel, played a decisive role in neutralising the threat. With an operational range of around 70 kilometres, extendable to 100 kilometres, the system is designed to counter a wide range of aerial threats, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, fighter aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. Equipped with advanced digital radar, modern RF sensors, and a two-way data link, the Barak-8 offers all-weather, 360-degree protection. It can engage multiple targets simultaneously through its multi-function surveillance, tracking and guidance capabilities. The missile travels at speeds of up to Mach 2 and carries a 60-kg warhead designed to detonate in proximity to its target. Also read: Lufthansa grounds 20,000 flights as jet fuel prices increase amid West Asia war Visual evidence of the interception surfaced days after the incident, with debris believed to be from the Pakistani missile recovered in Sirsa and videos circulating widely online. According to a report by The Times of India (TOI), the operation was led by Air Commodore Rohit Kapil, the Air Officer Commanding of the IAF’s 45 Wing at Sirsa. His prompt decision-making and operational leadership were credited with ensuring the successful interception and preventing large-scale casualties.

In May 2025, the IAF intercepted a Pakistani Fatah-II missile targeting New Delhi using the Barak-8 system. Led by Air Commodore Rohit Kapil, the operation successfully prevented a catastrophic strike.

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