The first phase of voting for the West Bengal Assembly Elections is set to take place on April 23. In view of this polling, the sale of alcohol has been banned in the areas where voting is scheduled. Generally, such a restriction is imposed two days before the election, but this time, due to several reasons, this ban has been implemented earlier than the scheduled time.
The Election Commission has provided information regarding this decision, stating that an unusual increase in the sale of alcohol has been recorded in recent days, making it necessary to take this step.
According to the Commission, a sudden surge in the purchase of packaged liquor by retailers from WBSBCL (West Bengal State Beverages Corporation Ltd) depots has been observed this April compared to last year. Additionally, there has been an unexpected increase in the number of shops identified as sensitive based on rules, which has heightened administrative concerns.
The Election Commission stated that the decision to extend the duration of the ban on liquor sales was taken after reviewing liquor-related monitoring and available data. According to officials, this step was deemed necessary after a deep analysis of the situation.
The Commission also clarified that liquor sales in April 2026 were recorded higher than in the same period last year, i.e., 2025. In view of this increase in sales, the administration decided to implement this ban earlier as a precautionary measure to minimize the possibility of any irregularities during the election process.
The West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026 are being held for a total of 294 seats this time. The voting process has been divided into two phases. In the first phase, voting will be held for 152 assembly seats on Thursday, April 23, while the second phase will be organized on April 29, during which voting will take place for the remaining 142 seats.
The Election Commission has also clarified that the counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on May 4. This election is being considered very interesting because, according to political analysts, the Trinamool Congress is likely to face a tough challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party. The contest between the two parties is making this election even more intriguing.
