West Bengal sees historic 91.46% turnout; ECI calls it ‘highest since Independence’

Kolkata: West Bengal has recorded a historic surge in voter participation during the ongoing Assembly elections, with the final turnout reaching 91.46% by 6 PM. The Election Commission of India has described the development as the highest level of polling in the state since Independence.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar acknowledged the milestone, stating, “Highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu since Independence - ECI salutes each voter of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.”

The statement underlines the scale of voter engagement witnessed in the state this election season.

The polling trend in West Bengal broke long-standing electoral behaviour, particularly the usual decline in turnout during the afternoon hours due to heat and fatigue.

Instead of slowing down, participation surged significantly during the first phase of voting:

62.18% at 1 PM

78.77% at 3 PM

This marked a sharp 16.59 percentage point increase within just two hours, a pattern election observers say is highly unusual under peak summer conditions.

Massive jump compared to previous elections

The current turnout stands far above recent benchmarks. During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, West Bengal recorded an average turnout of 63.92% across seven phases.

In comparison, this Assembly election has delivered a dramatic increase, with analysts pointing to:

• Strong voter mobilisation
• High political engagement
• Increased participation in rural and semi-urban regions

Polling day issues and allegations reported

Despite record participation, polling was marred by multiple incidents and allegations.

The Indian National Congress has alleged irregularities in Bharatpur and Berhampur constituencies in Murshidabad, including claims of booth capturing and EVM tampering.

Congress leader Niloy Pramanik has formally raised the issue with Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal.

In a separate incident, tensions escalated in Dubrajpur (Birbhum district) after an EVM malfunction caused a 30-minute disruption in voting. The delay triggered protests that later turned into clashes.

Reported incidents include:

• Vandalism of a police vehicle
• Stone pelting at security personnel
• Injuries to several security staff

Authorities are yet to issue a detailed consolidated response on these incidents.