West Bengal Phase 1 Polls Tomorrow: Voter Roll Cuts Cast Shadow As 152 Seats At Stake in 1st Phase

Polling for the first phase of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election will take place on April 23, with 152 of the state's 294 constituencies going to the polls. Campaigning concluded on Tuesday, with major political parties making a final push in what is shaping up to be a closely watched contest.

The electoral battle has largely narrowed to a direct contest between the ruling Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which emerged as the principal opposition force after securing 77 seats in the 2021 election. The Indian National Congress, contesting independently after its split from the Left Front earlier this year, remains a minor player in the state's political landscape.

A key battleground in Phase 1 is Nandigram, where Banerjee is contesting against BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari. The constituency remains politically significant after Adhikari defeated the Chief Minister there in 2021, making it one of the most closely watched races this time as well.

2021 Benchmark: TMC's Dominance

In the 2021 Assembly election, the TMC secured a commanding mandate, winning 215 seats and comfortably crossing the majority mark of 148 in the 294-member House. The BJP finished a distant second with 77 seats. The TMC also led in vote share, polling around 48 per cent compared to the BJP's 38 per cent.

Electoral Roll Revision: A Game-Changer

The most significant development ahead of the 2026 polls has been the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Approximately 89-91 lakh names - about 11.6 per cent of the electorate - have been removed, while around 7 lakh new voters have been added shortly before polling. In addition, nearly 27 lakh pending records were processed at a rapid pace, with the first supplementary voter list now published.

The scale of these deletions carries substantial political implications. The number of removed voters is comparable to - and slightly higher than - the TMC's overall victory margin in 2021. In districts such as West Burdwan, South Dinajpur, and parts of North Kolkata, the reduction exceeds 11.6 per cent, in some cases nearing previous winning margins.

Significantly, in the 156 constituencies where large-scale deletions have been recorded, the TMC had won 129 seats in 2021, increasing the pressure on the ruling party to retain its strongholds.

Urban areas have witnessed particularly sharp declines in voter numbers. North Kolkata's electorate has reportedly shrunk by around 30 per cent, while South Kolkata has seen a reduction of about 27.5 per cent. In Bhabanipur, the removal of roughly 50,000 voters could tighten what was previously considered a safe seat for Ms Banerjee.

Fewer Phases, Higher Intensity

Unlike the eight-phase election in 2021, the 2026 Assembly polls will be conducted in just two phases - April 23 and April 29. Phase 1 covers 152 constituencies across North Bengal and other mixed regions, while Phase 2 will cover the remaining 142 seats, including Kolkata and surrounding urban areas.

High Stakes for Both Sides

With more than seven crore eligible voters, the election represents a critical test for both major parties. For the TMC, the challenge lies in defending its dominant 2021 mandate amid significant revisions to the electoral rolls that could alter voting patterns in key districts.

For the BJP, the polls present an opportunity to build on its previous gains and mount a stronger challenge, particularly in constituencies where the electoral arithmetic may have shifted due to the SIR process.

As voting begins, the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election is widely regarded as one of the most unpredictable and closely contested political battles in recent years.