West Bengal has recorded its highest-ever voter turnout since Independence, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The surge was particularly visible in Phase-II of the Assembly elections, where participation reached 91.66 per cent.
Phase-II polling details
Polling for Phase-II began at 7 am and continued through the day, with turnout figures updated by 7.45 pm. The Election Commission stated, "As of 7.45 pm, poll-participation in West Bengal (Phase-II) stood at 91.66 per cent."
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This comes slightly below Phase-I, which had recorded 93.19 per cent. When combined, the overall turnout across both phases stands at 92.47 per cent, marking a new high for the state. The previous record was 84.72 per cent in the 2011 Assembly elections.
Gender-wise participation
The data shows strong participation across all groups. In Phase-II, turnout among women (92.28 per cent) was higher than men (91.07 per cent), while participation from the third gender stood at 91.28 per cent.
The combined turnout across both phases also followed a similar trend, with women recording the highest participation at 93.24 per cent, compared to 91.74 per cent for men.
Scale of the election
The elections were conducted across 294 Assembly constituencies in two phases, covering a total electorate of 6.81 crore voters. Over 85,000 polling stations were set up, supported by more than 4.26 lakh polling staff.
In Phase-II alone, polling was held in 142 constituencies across eight districts, with more than 41,000 polling stations and over 2 lakh polling personnel deployed.
Monitoring and voter facilities
Election authorities maintained close surveillance throughout the process. The ECI stated, "Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr SS Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi kept a close watch on the polling through live-webcasting which was ensured in 100 per cent of the Polling Stations in West Bengal (Phase-II) as well."
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Several voter-friendly steps were also introduced. These included colour photographs of candidates on EVM ballot papers, mobile deposit facilities, redesigned voter slips, and limiting electors to 1,200 per polling station. Assistance such as wheelchairs, volunteers, and transport support was arranged for persons with disabilities.
Polling percentages were updated promptly through ECINET by presiding officers before leaving polling stations, ensuring minimal delay in reporting trends. Voter turnout details at the district and constituency levels have been made available through the ECINET app.
