In Assam, polling for 47 of the total of 126 Assembly seats began at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm.
As many as 264 candidates including 23 women are in fray for 47 seats. Over 81 lakh voters including 40.32 lakh women and 124 Third Gender persons will cast their votes across 11,537 polling stations spread across 14 districts of the State.
The first phase of polling will decide the fate of 264 candidates, including Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, several of his cabinet colleagues, Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami, State Congress president Ripun Bora, Asom Gana Parishad chief Atul Bora, and Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia.
In West Bengal, polling began at 7 AM and will conclude at 6:30 PM. 191 candidates including 21 women are vying for the 30 seats spread over five districts in this phase.
Over 74 lakh voters including 36.28 lakh women and 63 Third Gender persons will decide the fate of 191 candidates.
Out of 30 seats, BJP is contesting 29 and alliance partner AJSU is fighting from the Baghmundi seat in Purulia district while TMC is contesting in 29 seats and supporting an independent candidate in Joypur Constituency after the nomination of the party candidate was rejected.
Congress, Left parties and their alliance partner Indian Secular Front are fighting under the banner of Sanyukt Morcha.
Covid-19 protocols for the voters including social distancing and thermal screening are being maintained, officials said.
