KOLKATA: At least four voters in West Midnapore, Malda and Birbhum died—two after returning from poll booths, one inside a booth and one on the way to the polling station —even as a scorcher of a sun beat down on Thursday, the day the first phase of the Assembly election was conducted in Bengal.The IMD…
BEHRAMPORE: For 70-year-old Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a five-term MP returning to the assembly fray after three decades, poll day began not at a booth but inside a makeshift war room at his Kasimbazar residence, about 5km from Behrampore town.Chowdhury, who represented Behrampore in the Lok Sabha five times between 1999 and 2019, suffered a setback…
NAODA/MALDA/SURI: Forty-one people were arrested as episodes of sporadic violence were reported across parts of Bengal in the first phase of polling.Five were held after BJP candidate Subhendu Sarkar alleged he was assaulted by villagers at Kumarganj. Sarkar first alleged BJP agents were denied entry at Banihari booth. Around noon, he reached the spot and…
4-Day No-Sale Streak Set For 1.5-Day Break KOLKATA: The nearly 5,000 bars and off-shops across the state are eagerly awaiting ‘Super Friday’, when they can resume business after incurring losses from Monday to Thursday. During this period, the liquor and hospitality industry together suffered losses of around Rs 650 crore, of which liquor sales alone…
Juhi Chawla-Mehta during the plantation drive at Subhas Sarovar Lake Park in Kolkata In a significant leap forward, three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have kick started the 2026 edition of their flagship initiative, ‘Runs to Roots’, with co-owner Juhi Chawla-Mehta pledging 10 trees for every run scored during this edition…
Kolkata: A number of Trinamool candidates, their election agents and even KMC councillors are now rushing to court to either obtain stays on or secure anticipatory bail in criminal cases, in which they have been named in FIRs. A senior Trinamool functionary said around 50 party candidates, their polling agents, KMC councillors and party office-bearers…
The Calcutta HC on Thursday gave interim relief to state fire minister Sujit Bose from attending to ED summons till the end of the polls. ED called the Bidhannagar candidate for questioning in an alleged municipal recruitment corruption case. After Bose’s counsel submitted he was busy ahead of the election on April 29, Justice Krishna…
Kolkata: The overwhelming turnout was because people knew this was their battle to save their rights after the large-scale deletion of voters in the SIR exercise, said chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, shortly after the first phase of the election, which recorded a voters’ turnout of nearly 90% till 5 pm.The high turnout meant…
Kolkata: Allegations of violence marked voting in the Asansol South assembly constituency on Thursday after BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul’s car was allegedly vandalised near a polling booth in Rahamat Nagar, Burnpur.Paul, an incumbent MLA, accused Trinamool of orchestrating the attack and filed a complaint at Hirapur police station, stating that the rear windowpane of her…
Darjeeling: Darjeeling registered its highest ever voter turnout of 88% till 5pm on Thursday. The record turnout is attributed to residents travelling from various parts of the country to cast their votes amid concerns over their names being struck off the electoral rolls. Voters, cutting across party lines, said their presence was not just about…
