By-Elections Kick Off in West Bengal Amid Heavy Security

Polling for by-elections in four West Bengal assembly seats began Wednesday under heavy security. The constituencies include Maniktala, Ranaghat Dakshin, Bagdah, and Raiganj. Voting will run from 7 am to 6 pm, with around 10 lakh voters across 1,097 polling booths. Counting is scheduled for July 13.

Polling for by-elections in four West Bengal assembly seats commenced on Wednesday, marked by heavy deployment of security forces, according to an official statement.

Voting activities initiated at 7 am and are slated to continue uninterrupted until 6 pm, covering constituencies like Maniktala in Kolkata, Ranaghat Dakshin, and Bagdah in North 24 Parganas. Another constituency, Raiganj, is located in north Bengal's Uttar Dinajpur district.

Approximately 10 lakh voters are expected to participate across the four assembly segments. The Election Commission has deployed around 70 companies of security personnel to oversee 1,097 polling booths. The vote counting will occur on July 13.

(With inputs from agencies.)