Kolkata: Voting began on Thursday in 152 constituencies in the first phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, amid unprecedented security arrangements and a high-stakes battle that could shape the direction of the entire contest.Polling started at 7 am with voters queueing up outside booths in districts ranging from Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri in the north to Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum and Hooghly in the south.The opening round covers more than half of the state’s 294 assembly seats and is being seen as the BJP’s best opportunity to make an early breakthrough and the ruling Trinamool Congress’s most important test in its bid for a fourth consecutive term.According to the Election Commission, over 3.6 crore electors are eligible to vote in this phase, including around 1.75 crore women and 465 third-gender voters.A record 2,450 companies of central paramilitary forces, comprising nearly 2.5 lakh personnel, have been deployed across the state for the polls, with over 8,000 polling stations identified as highly sensitive.The Election Commission has placed districts such as Malda, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Birbhum and Purba Bardhaman under special surveillance.More than 2,193 quick response teams, surveillance units and flying squads have also been deployed to prevent violence and ensure free and fair polling. PTI