The high-stakes battle for the English Bazar Assembly constituency (Seat No. 51) witnessed a day of intense political fervor as voters turned up in massive numbers for the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly Elections on Thursday, April 23, 2026. From the crack of dawn, Election Commission officials and central security forces initiated mock polls and securely sealed EVMs and VVPATs in the presence of polling agents, ensuring a peaceful democratic process with Section 144 imposed near sensitive areas. Long queues formed well before the official 7:00 AM start time, with polling picking up a rapid pace by mid-morning despite the scorching heat. 
Minor technical snags with VVPATs near Mahadipur were swiftly resolved by sector officers, causing minimal disruption. By the time gates closed at 6:00 PM, English Bazar had recorded an impressive provisional turnout of roughly 86.4% by 5:00 PM, closely tailing the massive 89.93% overall state average for the phase. The largely peaceful polling, credited to heavy central paramilitary deployment, marked a successful day of voting. With the EVMs now securely transported to strong rooms under multi-tier security and 24/7 CCTV surveillance, the district administration is prepping for the final count, leaving the constituency in a tense but quiet wait to see who will emerge victorious in this vital Malda seat.
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