Record Turnout of 92.88% in First Phase of West Bengal Polls

Kolkata, April 2026 : The first phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal witnessed a historic voter turnout, with polling reaching 92.88 per cent across 152 constituencies, according to tabulation by the Election Commission of India (ECI) till midnight on April 23.

Officials clarified that this figure is provisional and subject to revision. A source from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, noted that the final polling percentage could rise further once complete tabulation is concluded and officially announced.

The milestone turnout had already been achieved before polling formally ended. By 5 p.m. on Thursday—an hour before the scheduled close—voter participation had touched 89.93 per cent, surpassing previous records in the state’s electoral history.

The earlier highest polling percentage was recorded during the 2011 West Bengal Assembly elections, a landmark political event that ended the 34-year rule of the Left Front and brought the Trinamool Congress to power under Mamata Banerjee. That election, conducted in six phases, saw an average voter turnout of 84.33 per cent, a record that remained unbeaten until now.

Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal stated that polling continued beyond the official closing time of 6 p.m. at several locations. Around 5,000 polling booths reported long queues of voters even after the scheduled end of voting hours, allowing all those present to cast their ballots, which contributed to the surge in turnout.

Despite the massive participation, the polling process remained largely peaceful. Authorities reported 41 arrests on the day of voting for attempts to disrupt the process. Additionally, 571 preventive arrests had been made ahead of polling to ensure smooth conduct.

Election officials attributed the high voter turnout to several factors, including improved electoral roll management. The removal of duplicate, shifted, missing, and absent voters from the voter list helped streamline the process and ensured more accurate participation figures.

The record-breaking turnout reflects strong voter engagement and heightened political interest in the state, as West Bengal heads into subsequent phases of polling in what is expected to be a closely watched electoral contest.