West Bengal Records Historic 93% Voter Turnout

West Bengal has recorded a historic voter turnout of nearly 93% across two phases of its 2026 Assembly elections, marking the highest polling percentage in the State since Independence. According to the State’s Chief Electoral Officer, the second and final phase alone witnessed an impressive turnout of 92.65%.

Polling in the second phase was conducted across 142 Assembly constituencies in seven districts of South Bengal. Rural districts led the participation charts, with Purba Bardhaman recording the highest turnout at 93.39%, followed by Hooghly, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Nadia—all registering above 91%. Urban areas like Kolkata South and Kolkata North saw comparatively lower turnout at 87.25% and 88.91%, respectively.

This strong participation follows an equally high turnout of 93.19% recorded during the first phase held on April 23. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar described the turnout as the highest ever in the State, calling it a moment of pride for West Bengal.

However, the polling process was not without controversy. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged attempts to influence the election, accusing central forces and observers of acting under political pressure. Tensions were particularly visible in Bhabanipur, where clashes and protests erupted during visits by political leaders.

Several incidents of unrest, including scuffles between party workers and allegations of voter intimidation, were reported from different constituencies. The Trinamool Congress also raised concerns over alleged excesses by Central Armed Police Forces, while opposition parties pointed to irregularities in polling procedures.

Despite these incidents, authorities maintained that polling remained largely peaceful. To ensure security, over 2,300 companies of central forces were deployed, with a portion set to remain in the State post-elections.

With voting now complete across all 294 constituencies, the fate of 2,926 candidates has been sealed in electronic voting machines. The results are scheduled to be announced on May 4, 2026.