West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 18.39 per cent till 9 am on Wednesday, as polling for 142 seats across the state began earlier in the day.
Purba Bardhaman recorded the highest turnout at 20.86 per cent, followed by Hooghly at 20.16 per cent. Nadia reported 18.50 per cent polling, while North 24 Parganas registered 17.81 per cent.
Kolkata North and Kolkata South recorded 17.28 per cent and 16.81 per cent turnout respectively, while Howrah saw 17.76 per cent voting.
The main contest in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections is between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP. Earlier in the day, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari inspected polling booths in the Bhabanipur constituency, while TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee cast his vote at the Mitra Institution polling booth in Bhabanipur.
The second phase of polling is being seen as a crucial test for the TMC, as voting shifts to its traditional strongholds in South Bengal and Kolkata.
This phase covers 142 of the total 294 seats in the state.
The electorate stands at approximately 3.21 crore, including 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women, and 792 transgender voters.
A total of 1,448 candidates, including 220 women, are contesting across 41,001 polling stations. Of these, over 8,000 booths are being managed entirely by women.
While 142 seats are at stake, attention is focused on key urban constituencies. Apart from the high-profile Bhabanipur seat, Tollyganj—known as the hub of the Bengali film industry—is witnessing a closely watched contest.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the TMC dominated this region, winning 123 of these 142 seats. For the BJP, this phase is crucial to expand its base among urban voters and the Matua community, while for the TMC, it is about retaining its stronghold and securing a fourth consecutive term for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (ANI)
