Bengal polls: Record 92.4% turnout, says Election Commission

The provisional overall voter turnout in the West Bengal Assembly elections was a record 92.4%, the Election Commission said on Wednesday.

The average turnout in 152 of the state’s 294 constituencies where polling was held in the first phase on April 23 was 93.1%.

In the second phase, polling was held in the remaining 142 constituencies. According to a press release issued by the Election Commission on Wednesday night, the average turnout in the second phase was 91.6%.

The votes will be counted on Monday.

Data from more than 5,300 polling stations in the second phase was yet to be updated, the Election Commission said. The data also did not include service voters or the postal ballots, it added.

As of 9.30 am on Thursday, the poll panel’s app showed the turnout in the second phase to be 92.6%.

The average turnout among men was 93.1% in both phases and 91.6% among women, said the Election Commission.

The polls are taking place against the backdrop of the Election Commission having carried out a special intensive revision of the electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories, including West Bengal.

Nearly 91 lakh voters had been removed from West Bengal’s voter lists as part of the exercise. The deletions represent nearly 11.9% of the state’s electorate of 7.6 crore that existed...

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