Kolkata, Oct 6 (PTI) Over 70 per cent of 5.24 lakh voters in Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly seats exercised their franchise till 3 pm on Tuesday as bypolls to the two constituencies in West Bengal were underway, officials said.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm.
The Nandigram assembly seat in Purba Medinipur district recorded a polling percentage of 71.79 in the first eight hours of voting, while Rejinagar in Murshidabad registered 69.29 per cent turnout during the same period.
A poll panel official said voting was mostly “peaceful”, barring a few untoward incidents.
“Polling is being held peacefully. We are witnessing a good turnout in both the assembly constituencies where adequate central forces have been deployed,” the official said.
The election commission official said they have sought a report from the district election office regarding the arrest of Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) chief Humayun Kabir following an argument with police during polling at Rejinagar constituency.
The contests will give the BJP an early reading of voter response to its governance since taking office in May, while opposition parties vie for space in a fragmented field.
The ruling party and its rivals are also seeking to gauge the minority electorate’s voting preferences.
The Nandigram seat was the epicentre of former CM Mamata Banerjee’s anti-land acquisition movement that helped pave the way for the TMC’s rise in 2011. It was also where BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari defeated Banerjee in 2021.
Adhikari, now chief minister, won Nandigram again in the 2026 assembly election but retained Bhabanipur, necessitating the bypoll.
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath, a former aide of Adhikari. Chandranath was shot dead on May 6, two days after the BJP won the assembly elections. Hasirani’s candidature has added an emotional dimension to the contest.
The Mamata Banerjee-led TMC faction’s nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew her name after meeting Adhikari, following which Banerjee, left without a candidate, backed Congress nominee Milan Pradhan and described the move as an effort to strengthen the INDIA bloc.
Pradhan was arrested in old cases linked to the 2007 Nandigram land-acquisition agitation but later secured interim bail and returned to campaign.
The rival TMC faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee has fielded Mohammad Eteshamul Haque under the envelope symbol and a separate temporary party identity. The CPI has nominated Santigopal Giri.
Rejinagar in Murshidabad presents a different political equation.
The seat fell vacant after Humayun Kabir, who won both Rejinagar and Nowda in the 2026 assembly election, retained Nowda. His Aam Janata Unnayan Party has fielded his son Golam Nabi Azad.
The contest includes BJP nominee Sakharav Sarkar, former Murshidabad district president, Mamata-led TMC candidate Rabiul Alam Chowdhury, rival TMC candidate Safiuzzaman Sheikh; Congress nominee Mohammad Abdullahil Kafi and CPI(M)’s Syed Asad Ali.
The administration has put in place multi-layered security arrangements to maintain law and order and ensure a peaceful voting environment, the officials said.
Altogether 71 companies of central forces have been deployed for the bypolls, they said.
Rejinagar has 2.57 lakh electors, while Nandigram has 2.67 lakh.
There are 315 polling stations in Rejinagar and 323 in Nandigram, with webcasting available at all polling booths in both constituencies.
The counting will take place on October 9. PTI PNT SCH BDC
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.