West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026: North Bengal to Vote in First Phase (April 23)

KalimNews, March 15, 2026, Kalimpong: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections will be conducted in two phases, scheduled for April 23 and April 29, 2026, with the counting of votes on May 4.

The first phase of polling will cover 152 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) across the state. In North Bengal, key constituencies including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Siliguri will go to the polls on April 23.

The constituencies included in this phase from the northern region are:

• Mekliganj (SC)

• Mathabhanga (SC)

• Coochbehar Uttar (SC)

• Coochbehar Dakshin

• Sitalkuchi (SC)

• Sitai (SC)

• Dinhata

• Natabari

• Tufanganj

• Kumargram (ST)

• Kalchini (ST)

• Alipurduars

• Falakata (SC)

• Madarihat (ST)

• Dhupguri (SC)

• Maynaguri (SC)

• Jalpaiguri (SC)

• Rajganj (SC)

• Dabgram–Fulbari

• Mal (ST)

• Nagrakata (ST)

• Kalimpong

• Darjeeling

• Kurseong

• Matigara–Naxalbari (SC)

• Siliguri

• Phansidewa (ST)

• Chopra

• Islampur

In addition to these constituencies, Assembly Constituency numbers 46–76, 203–258, and 275–294 will also vote in the first phase.

Second Phase Polling on April 29

The second phase of polling will take place on April 29, covering 142 Assembly Constituencies. These include AC numbers 77–202 and 259–274.

Reserved Seats

Out of the total Assembly seats in the state:

• 68 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC)

• 16 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST)

Electorate and Polling Arrangements

According to the electoral rolls, West Bengal has a massive voter base:

• General Electors: 6,44,52,609

• Service Voters: 1,08,543

• Total Electors: 6,45,61,152

The voter demographics also include:

• Young electors: 5,23,229

• Persons with Disabilities (PwD) electors: 4,16,089

• Third Gender electors: 1,152

• Senior Citizens (85+ years): 3,78,979

To facilitate smooth voting, the Election Commission has set up 80,719 polling stations across the state for the 2026 elections.

A Major Democratic Exercise

With more than 6.45 crore voters expected to participate, the West Bengal Assembly elections are set to be one of the largest democratic exercises in the country. Special arrangements are being made to ensure accessibility, security, and a smooth voting process for all citizens, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and first-time voters.

Residents of the Darjeeling hills and Siliguri region will therefore head to the polling booths in the first phase on April 23, making North Bengal one of the early regions to decide the political future of the state.