West Bengal has recorded its highest-ever voter turnout since Independence, with an impressive 91.66% polling in Phase two of the Assembly elections on Wednesday, said the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Polling for Phase-II began at 7:00 AM and continued till evening, with voter participation reaching 91.66% by 7:45 PM. Combined with Phase-I turnout of 93.19%, the overall polling percentage across the first two phases stands at a record 92.47%, surpassing the previous high of 84.72% recorded in the 2011 Assembly elections.
Gender-wise data for Phase-II indicates strong participation across all groups, with female voter turnout at 92.28%, higher than male turnout at 91.07%, while third-gender participation stood at 91.28%.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners S. S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, monitored the polling process closely through live webcasting, which was implemented across 100% of polling stations in Phase-II.
Election Commission said the high turnout reflects robust voter engagement and confidence in the electoral process. Several voter-friendly initiatives were implemented to enhance participation, including colour photographs of candidates on EVM ballot papers, mobile deposit facilities, redesigned voter information slips, and a cap of 1,200 electors per polling station to reduce crowding.
Special arrangements were also made to assist Persons with Disabilities (PwD), including provision of wheelchairs, volunteers, and transport facilities to polling stations.
Across both phases, polling was conducted in 294 Assembly constituencies spanning 24 districts, with over 6.81 crore electors and nearly 2,926 candidates in the fray. More than 85,000 polling stations and over 4.26 lakh polling personnel were deployed to ensure smooth conduct of elections.
The ECI noted that the turnout figures are provisional and do not yet include service voters and postal ballots. Final figures will be released after complete data compilation.
