On April 26, 2026, West Bengal voted in the second phase of its state assembly elections, with Diamond Harbour constituency drawing particular attention. Diamond Harbour is the political stronghold of Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and a key leader of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
According to verified reports, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches in the Diamond Harbour area earlier in the week, ahead of the polling day. The NIA's presence was linked to ongoing investigations into alleged illegal coal mining and smuggling networks in the region, though no formal arrests were made on election day.
Voter turnout in Diamond Harbour was reported at approximately 78% as of 5 PM local time, slightly above the state average for the phase. The constituency has been a TMC bastion since 2011, with Abhishek Banerjee winning the seat in the 2021 assembly elections by a margin of over 80,000 votes.
Opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left Front, have criticized the NIA's actions as politically motivated, while the TMC has accused the central government of using investigative agencies to target opposition leaders. The Election Commission of India has stated that all security arrangements were in place to ensure free and fair polling.
