The Election Commission of India (ECI) on April 23 reported record voter turnout in the ongoing Assembly elections, with Tamil Nadu recording 84.69% and West Bengal (Phase I) touching an impressive 91.78% — the highest since Independence in both states.
Polling started at 7:00 AM in Tamil Nadu and for the first phase in West Bengal. At the same time, by-elections were also held in some constituencies of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
As per provisional figures, Tamil Nadu crossed its earlier record of 78.29% from 2011, while West Bengal also went past its previous high of 84.72%, recorded the same year.
Interestingly, women voters turned out in higher numbers in both states. In Tamil Nadu, women turnout was 85.76% compared to 83.57% for men. In West Bengal (Phase I), women turnout stood at 92.69%, higher than men at 90.92%.
The ECI said these numbers are based on data uploaded through the ECINET platform and are still provisional, as reports from some polling stations are yet to come in. The final turnout will be announced after adding service voters and postal ballots.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners S. S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, monitored the voting process through live webcasting across polling stations in both states.
The Commission also pointed out several voter-friendly steps taken this time. These included better voter slips, colour photos of candidates on EVMs, mobile deposit facilities, and improved accessibility for persons with disabilities, like transport support and wheelchairs.
Officials said polling remained largely peaceful, and detailed turnout data by district and constituency is available on the ECINET app.