Record-Breaking Voter Turnout in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Till 5 PM

Kolkata/Chennai: Voting witnessed an exceptional surge in both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday, with turnout figures by 5 PM indicating a potential record in both states.

According to estimates by the Election Commission of India, polling in West Bengal reached 89.93%, while Tamil Nadu recorded 82.24% by the evening—both surpassing their respective 2021 election figures of around 82% and 74%.

Despite the controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of the polls, voter enthusiasm remained unaffected. In fact, turnout trends suggest that participation has only strengthened.

Polling remained brisk throughout the day. By 3 PM, West Bengal had already recorded 78.77% turnout, while Tamil Nadu stood at 70%, reflecting steady voter engagement across regions.

In West Bengal, voting began at 7 AM across 152 assembly constituencies spread over 16 districts, with long queues seen at polling booths since early morning. The remaining 142 constituencies in the state will go to polls in the second phase on April 29.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu saw polling across all 234 assembly constituencies in a single phase. With over 5.73 crore eligible voters, the state is witnessing a high-stakes electoral battle involving multiple alliances and parties.

The main contest in Tamil Nadu features the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance, along with other key players like Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), making the election highly competitive.

The counting of votes for both states is scheduled for May 4, when the results will determine the formation of the next governments.

With inputs from IANS