In a record-breaking start to the West Bengal Assembly elections, 152 constituencies registered over 91% voter turnout in the first phase, marking the highest participation ever.
Published: April 23, 2026 8:23 PM IST
West Bengal Assembly Election: In a historic national political development, polling for the Assembly elections in the country concluded at 6 pm on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a significantly higher voter turnout of 91.91 per cent in Phase I polling compared to Tamil Nadu, which recorded 84.80 per cent turnout. The high turnout figures underline an active electoral exercise as polling drew to a close amid tight security arrangements across constituencies.
Chief Election Commissioner announces final voting numbers
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the Commission salutes each voter of both states for coming out in large numbers to take part in the Democracy festival.
“Highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu since Independence, ECI salutes each voter of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu,” CEC Gyanesh Kumar said.
According to the latest data by the Election Commission of India, several districts in West Bengal recorded over 90 per cent voter turnout where Dakshin Dinajpur led with 94.85%, followed by Cooch Behar at 94.54%, Birbhum at 93.70%, Jalpaiguri at 93.23%, and Murshidabad at 92.93%. The figures reflect consistently high voter participation across the state, with all major districts comfortably staying above the 90% mark.
PM Modi reacts on massive turnout in the first phase of assembly elections
Reacting to historic voters turnout, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the people of West Bengal for their massive turnout in the first phase of assembly elections, and called the voting figures so far indicative of an “overwhelming mandate for change”.
Addressing poll rallies in Krishnanagar in Nadia district on a day when voters across 152 constituencies of the state queued up to exercise their franchise in the aftermath of the over 90 lakh SIR deletions, Modi also congratulated the Election Commission for keeping “violence during the assembly polls in the state at a minimum”.
“This is the first time in the last 50 years of poll history in West Bengal that incidents of violence were kept at a minimum. The information I have received so far about the record-breaking turnout makes me certain that this is going to be an overwhelming mandate in favour of a change which West Bengal’s voters have already decided to bring about,” the PM said.
(With inputs from agencies)
