West Bengal gears up for first phase of a high-stakes, tightly-policed Assembly election

April 22, 2026 7:31 PM

West Bengal gears up for first phase of a high-stakes, tightly-policed Assembly election

West Bengal goes to the polls on Thursday, in the first of the two-phase high-stakes, tightly-policed Assembly election, where about 3.6 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise in roughly 44,000 polling booths across 152 constituencies in 16 districts. Though there has been a significant reduction in phases compared to earlier elections, the state is witnessing an unprecedented deployment of central security agencies with new and unique Election Commission measures aimed at the st...

Bangladeshi smuggler killed in self-defence by BSF jawan in West Bengal

September 16, 2024 4:25 PM

Bangladeshi smuggler killed in self-defence by BSF jawan in West Bengal

A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan fatally shot a Bangladeshi smuggler in self-defence during a confrontation along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Malda district. The incident took place during the night of August 11-12, when a group of smugglers armed with sharp weapons attacked BSF troops stationed at the Chandnichak Border Outpost. The deceased smuggler, identified as Abdullah from Rishipara village in Bangladesh's Chapainawabganj district, had illegally crossed the border to...

LS elections: Poor mango yield, soil erosion, CAA top poll talk as Malda gears up to vote in Phase 3

May 4, 2024 3:48 PM

LS elections: Poor mango yield, soil erosion, CAA top poll talk as Malda gears up to vote in Phase 3

As Malda and the neighboring Murshidabad district gear up for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7, issues like poor mango yield, soil erosion, and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are taking center stage in the poll discourse. Four parliamentary constituencies in Bengal – Jangipur, Malda Uttar, Malda Dakshin, and Murshidabad – will go to polls in this phase. River erosion, inadequate healthcare infrastructure and perennial drinking water problems are the key electoral an...

“Electrifying, that’s the only word,” says PM Modi after holding roadshow in Malda

September 16, 2024 6:01 PM

“Electrifying, that’s the only word,” says PM Modi after holding roadshow in Malda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a roadshow in West Bengal’s Malda on Friday and expressed his gratitude to the people for turning out in large numbers to attend it. The PM described the experience as “electrifying,” noting that despite the high temperatures, people braved the heat to attend his roadshow. He took to social media platform (X) to thank the people for their affection and assured them that his government will always work for their welfare. Tearing into the ...