West Bengal Elections: The Cooch Behar district administration has imposed prohibitory orders ahead of the West Bengal assembly elections in the district scheduled for 23 April.
The order, issued by the District Magistrate (DM) of Cooch Behar, bans unlawful assemblies, carrying of weapons, bursting of firecrackers, use of loudspeakers, and circulation of inflammatory content. It also prohibits campaigning within 100 metres of polling booths on 23 April, when the district votes in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections.
The DM, who is also the District Election Officer (DEO) of Cooch Behar, has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
“Political functionaries, party workers, procession functionaries, campaign functionaries and similar persons who have been brought from outside the Cooch Behar District and who are not voters in this district, shall not remain within the Cooch Behar district till the conclusion of the voting process on 23 April 2026,” the order read.
When is West Bengal voting?
West Bengal votes in two phases on 23 and 29 April. The campaigning for the first phase ends today, marking the beginning of what is termed the ‘silence’ period till the conclusion of voting on 23 April. Results will be declared on 4 May. Cooch Behar has 9 assembly constituencies.
The India–Bangladesh border in the district will remain sealed from today, 21 April, to ensure free and peaceful voting.
“With regard to the international borders with Bangladesh, movement of all unauthorised persons and vehicles for exit to Bangladesh, as well as entry into Indian territory, shall remain restricted from 06:00 AM on 21 April 2026, in order to ensure free, fair, and peaceful conduct of the election and to prevent any interference with the polling process,” the order read.
Any person found violating this order shall be liable to penal action under the relevant provisions of the applicable law, the order said.
"All law enforcement agencies within the district are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with this order," it read.
The election in West Bengal is considered a bipolar contest between the ruling TMC and a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
All law enforcement agencies within the district are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with this order.
The 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections were held in eight phases between 27 March and 29 April to elect all 294 members of the Legislative Assembly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The incumbent Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee won the election by a landslide, despite opinion polls generally predicting a close race against the BJP, which became the official opposition with 77 seats.
