KOLKATA: The polling for the fifth phase of the West Bengal Assembly election began at 7 am on Saturday across 45 Assembly segments amid tight security.
Long queues were seen outside polling booths where voting is under way adhering to Covid protocols, official sources said.
Over one crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the political fate of 342 candidates.
Security measures have been heightened for the fifth phase in view of the violence in the previous phase, which witnessed the death of five people in Cooch Behar district, including four in CISF firing.
The Election Commission has decided to deploy 853 companies of central forces to ensure free and fair voting, an official said.
The polling will continue till 6.30 pm.