Malda (West Bengal) [India], April 23 (ANI): Voting for the 2026 West Bengal elections was disrupted at Balua Chara High School booth in Mothabari constituency as the sector officer absconded amid a reported malfunction in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

Malda has been a hotbed of politics in the run-up to the elections. A major political storm had erupted in West Bengal after seven judicial officers, including three women, were gheraoed in Malda district on April 1.

A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team on April 4 visited the office of the Malda Superintendent of Police (SP) and later investigated the Block Development Officer's (BDO) office in Kaliachowk, Malda, in relation to the incident.

Both the BJP and the TMC have accused each other, sparking a political row over the incident.

In Mothabari constituency, Islam Md Najrul is contesting on the Trinamool Congress ticket against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Nibaran Ghosh. All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)'s Mostahid Haque and Congress' Sayem Chowdhury are also in the fray.

In the 2021 polls, TMC's Yeasmin Sabina won by a margin of 56,573 (35.1 per cent) votes against BJP candidate Shyamchand Ghosh.

Polling for the first phase of the Assembly elections began amid tight security on Thursday. The voting will conclude at 6:00 pm today in both states.

The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

In West Bengal, the parties are contesting against one another for 294 Assembly seats. As per the Election Commission of India (ECI), the first phase covers 152 Assembly constituencies, while the second phase includes 142 seats. There are a total of 1,478 candidates in the fray in this phase.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is aiming for a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP, which secured 77 seats in the previous election, is making a renewed push to form the government in the state. (ANI)