Assembly Elections 2026: Highest Ever Phase 1 Turnout in West Bengal at 92.25%, Tamil Nadu Breaks All-Time Record With 85.03% Polling

By 7 pm, Tamil Nadu recorded the highest-ever turnout in an assembly election, while voters in West Bengal strongly asserted their right to franchise despite lakhs being struck off the rolls during SIR.

The Wire Staff

assembly elections 2026 highest ever phase 1 turnout in west bengal at 92 25 tamil nadu breaks all time record with 85 03 polling

Security personnel clear the road after allegedly being blocked by TMC workers during the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, in Cooch Behar district, Thursday, April 23, 2026. Photo: PTI.

Tamil Nadu and West Bengal both voted today, April 23. Both states are run by parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is looking to dislodge the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Trinamool Congress.

In Bengal, BJP's efforts are compounded by a special intensive revision of voter rolls, as a result of which 90 lakh names are removed – 27 lakh of them are under adjudication.

According to EC data, 92.25% voter turnout was recorded till 8 pm in Bengal. The turnout among women voters was higher (90.92% for males, 92.69% for females). This is also higher than the previous record for electoral participation set in 2011, at 84.72%

Tamil Nadu recorded 85.03% at 8 pm.

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This article went live on April twenty-third, two thousand twenty six, at twenty-two minutes past eleven in the morning.

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