West Bengal records historic 92.47% turnout

West Bengal has recorded a historic voter turnout of 92.47 per cent in its two-phase Assembly elections, the highest since Independence, according to the Election Commission of India.

Polling in Phase II saw participation reach 91.66 per cent as of 7:45 pm, while Phase I, held on April 23, registered an even higher turnout of 93.19 per cent. The combined figure marks a significant jump from the state’s previous record of 84.72 per cent in the 2011 Assembly elections.

With a voter base of approximately 6.81 crore, the state witnessed strong engagement across demographics. Women voters slightly outpaced men in participation, with 92.28 per cent turnout compared to 91.07 per cent among male voters in Phase II. In Phase I, women’s turnout stood at 92.69 per cent, higher than the 90.92 per cent recorded for men.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar lauded the electorate, stating that the Commission salutes every voter in the state for achieving the highest-ever polling percentage since Independence.

The turnout also places West Bengal among the top-performing states in terms of voter participation, though it remains slightly below the national record of 93.61 per cent set by Tripura in its 2013 Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, other states that went to polls this month also reported high voter engagement. Assam recorded 85.38 per cent turnout, while Puducherry saw 89.83 per cent participation, both surpassing their previous records. Tamil Nadu also witnessed strong voter turnout, with women’s participation exceeding that of men.

Counting of votes for all five Assemblies — West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and Assam — is scheduled to take place on May 4.