In a remarkable display of civic engagement, West Bengal witnessed an unprecedented voter turnout in the 2026 assembly elections, with active participation from women leading the way. The second and final phase of voting on Wednesday saw a turnout of 92.59%, significantly surpassing the previous record of 84.72% set during the 2011 assembly polls.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the overall voter participation reached an impressive 92.9% by 11 pm on April 29. The first phase of voting, conducted on April 23, reported an even higher turnout of 93.19%.
Women voters made history with a turnout of 93.24% across both phases, outpacing male voters who recorded a participation rate of 91.74%. In the first phase, female turnout was recorded at 94.10%, compared to 92.34% for men. The second phase also mirrored this trend, with women at 92.28% and men at 91.07%.
The overall turnout translates to approximately 63.2 million voters, marking the highest participation in the state’s history, compared to 59.6 million in 2021. This latest turnout also sets a new benchmark for any major state in India for both assembly and Lok Sabha elections. West Bengal previously held the highest turnout record with the 2011 election until it was recently surpassed by Assam, which recorded 85.38%. West Bengal has now reclaimed its title.
Kolkata, in particular, drew attention during Phase 2, boasting high polling rates without any reports of violence. The voter turnout across the 11 assembly segments in Kolkata was about 88% by 8 pm. Notable areas like Kolkata South and Kolkata North saw turnouts of 87.59% and 89.19%, respectively, both significantly higher than the previous Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
Key constituencies like Bhabanipur, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced off against Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Suvendu Adhikari, saw a turnout of 86.74%, up from 61.79% in 2021 despite around 50,000 deletions from the voter list in that area.
Other areas saw similarly high engagement, with Entally, Beliaghata, and Manicktala registering turnouts of 91.89%, 90.52%, and 90.05%, respectively.
Mamata Banerjee, while campaigning in her constituency for over an hour, expressed that this election felt unlike any other, raising concerns over booth security and urging voters not to trust pre-election surveys, suggesting they were influenced by the BJP.
In contrast, Suvendu Adhikari viewed the high turnout positively, implying it indicated his potential victory. He stated, “An 85% turnout means I am winning. If it crosses 90%, my margin will set a record.”
Political parties interpreted the turnout in their own ways, with both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and BJP expressing confidence in their respective positions. A TMC official suggested that the high turnout was a sign of voter frustration, while BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar claimed it demonstrated a desire for change away from the TMC government.
