West Bengal, India, is conducting the first phase of its Assembly elections today, April 23, 2026. About 3.60 crore voters are set to cast their votes for 1,452 candidates vying for 152 seats across 16 districts. The voting will commence at 7 a.m. and follows a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) that resulted in a 12% reduction in the electorate. The Election Commission has deployed 2,450 companies of Central paramilitary forces, totaling around 2.5 lakh personnel, to ensure a smooth electoral process. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is aiming for a fourth consecutive term, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking to capitalize on its previous gains in north Bengal, where it won 59 seats in the last election against the TMC's 93. The second phase of voting will take place on April 29, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 4.