Voter participation remained strong in both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu during the ongoing Assembly elections, with turnout reaching 78.77 per cent and 70 per cent respectively by 3 p.m., according to the Election Commission of India.
Polling in West Bengal began at 7 a.m. across 152 Assembly constituencies spread over 16 districts in the first phase of the two-stage elections. Voters turned up in large numbers, forming long queues at several polling stations through the day.
The districts going to polls in this phase include Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Malda in North Bengal, along with Murshidabad, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, West Burdwan and Birbhum in the southern region.
The second phase of polling for the remaining 142 constituencies in the state is scheduled for April 29.
Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, voting also began at 7 a.m. across all 234 constituencies. Over 5.73 crore eligible voters are casting their ballots to decide the fate of 4,023 candidates in a closely contested election.
Polling is being conducted amid tight security in both states and will continue until 6 p.m. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
Several prominent leaders and public figures cast their votes in the morning, including Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, TVK chief Vijay, DMK minister K. N. Nehru, and actors Rajinikanth and Dhruv Vikram.
Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said the state has an electorate of over 5.73 crore voters, including 2,93,04,905 women, 2,80,30,658 men, and 7,728 third-gender voters. The electorate also includes 14,59,039 first-time voters and 68,501 service voters. A total of 4,18,541 postal votes have already been received, and 62 counting centres have been set up.
The main contest in Tamil Nadu is between the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which includes the Congress, DMDK and VCK, and the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance, comprising the BJP and PMK.
In West Bengal, elections are being held for 294 Assembly seats. According to the Election Commission, the first phase covers 152 constituencies, while the remaining 142 will go to polls in the second phase. A total of 1,478 candidates are in the fray in this phase.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is seeking a fourth consecutive term, while the BJP, which won 77 seats in the previous election, is aiming to expand its presence and form the government in the state.
-ANI
