92% turnout sets record in West Bengal
Voters wait at polling centers.
West Bengal recorded a historic voter turnout in the first phase of the state legislative assembly elections, with an average turnout of 91.46% by the end of polling on Thursday, according to the Election Commission.
The Commission said the figure marks one of the highest voter turnouts in recent electoral history. Officials also indicated that the final percentage may increase slightly as voters who had reached polling stations before the deadline continue to cast their ballots late into the night.
Voting began at 7:00 am under tight security across 152 constituencies in 16 districts of the state. The electoral fate of 1,478 candidates, including 167 women, will be decided by around 36 million voters.
Long queues were seen outside polling booths from North Bengal to districts in South Bengal as voting began in the morning. Despite a severe heatwave, the high turnout is being seen by political observers as significant for both the ruling Trinamool Congress and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
South Dinajpur recorded the highest turnout among districts at 93.12%. Several other districts in North Bengal and the Jangalmahal region also reported turnout figures above 90%.
The first phase of polling concluded without any major untoward incidents under strict security arrangements. However, analysts have already begun debating whether the high turnout signals a wave of change or reflects continued public confidence in the Mamata Banerjee government. The final verdict will become clear after results are declared on May 4.