Record 93.19% Turnout In Bengal Phase 1, Highest Ever: EC

The first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections recorded a historic voter turnout of 93.19 per cent , the highest ever in the state, according to data released by the Election Commission (EC).

Polling was held on April 23 across 152 assembly constituencies in 16 districts , with 3.36 crore voters out of a total 3.61 crore electorate exercising their franchise. Of those who voted, 1.71 crore were men and 1.65 crore were women , indicating a near-balanced gender participation.

District-wise figures show Cooch Behar registering the highest turnout at 96.2 per cent, followed by Dakshin Dinajpur (95.44 per cent) and Malda (94.79 per cent). Other districts also reported robust participation, including Jalpaiguri (94.76 per cent), Birbhum (94.51 per cent), and Uttar Dinajpur (94.16 per cent).

Turnout in Murshidabad stood at 93.67 per cent, while Alipurduar (93.2 per cent), Purba Medinipur (92.75 per cent), Bankura (92.55 per cent), Jhargram (92.26 per cent), and Paschim Medinipur (92.19 per cent) also recorded over 92 per cent polling. Purulia (91.59 per cent) and Paschim Bardhaman (90.32 per cent) followed closely.

Among the hill districts, Darjeeling recorded 88.98 per cent turnout , while Kalimpong reported the lowest at 83.04 per cent .

The EC noted that the previous highest turnout in the state was 84.72 per cent , recorded during the 2011 Assembly elections , when the Trinamool Congress came to power, ending the CPI(M)-led Left Front’s 34-year rule.

The second phase of polling is scheduled for April 29 , covering 142 constituencies across seven districts .

The ongoing election is being held after a contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, during which over 90 lakh names were deleted , reducing the overall voter base.

While the EC has released a gender-wise breakdown of voter turnout , no age-wise voting data has been disclosed so far for the first phase.