Bengal records 92.47% turnout in assembly polls, highest since Independence

West Bengal has recorded a historic 92.47 per cent voter turnout in its two-phase assembly elections, the highest ever in the state since Independence, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday.

The turnout figures reflect strong voter participation across both phases. Phase I, held on 23 April, saw a polling percentage of 93.19 per cent, while Phase II recorded 91.66 per cent by 7:45 pm. The combined turnout stood at 92.47 per cent across the two phases.

With a voter base of 6.81 crore, the state has now surpassed its previous best of 84.72 per cent recorded in the 2011 assembly elections.

Women voters outpaced men in participation, with 92.28 per cent of women casting their votes compared to 91.07 per cent of men in Phase II. Similar trends were observed in Phase I as well.

Calling the milestone a reflection of democratic strength, chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, “For the highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal since Independence, the EC salutes each voter of the state.”

West Bengal’s record turnout comes amid a broader surge in voter participation across several states. Tripura continues to hold the national record with 93.61 per cent turnout in its 2013 Assembly elections.

Other states also saw notable participation this cycle, including Assam (85.38 per cent) and Puducherry (89.83 per cent), both surpassing their previous highs. Tamil Nadu, which went to polls on April 23 for all 234 seats, recorded a turnout of 78.29 per cent in 2011 as its highest earlier benchmark.

The counting of votes for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry will be conducted on 4 May.

With PTI inputs