West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 92.47% in the second and final phase of Assembly elections held on April 29, 2026, marking one of the highest participation rates in the State’s electoral history. Combined with the first phase, the overall turnout stood at nearly 93%, the highest recorded in any Assembly election in the State since Independence, according to the Chief Electoral Officer.
Polling in the second phase covered 142 Assembly constituencies across seven districts in south Bengal. Among these, rural districts reported the highest participation, with Purba Bardhaman recording 93.39%, followed by Hooghly (91.41%), South 24 Parganas (91.45%), North 24 Parganas (91.39%), and Nadia (91.35%). Urban centres saw relatively lower turnout, with Kolkata South recording 87.25% and Kolkata North at 88.91%, while Howrah reported 90.93%.
The high turnout follows a similarly strong participation in the first phase held on April 23, where 93.19% of voters cast their ballots across 152 seats. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar described the turnout as the highest since Independence, highlighting the scale of voter engagement.
The election, however, was not without tensions. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged interference by central forces, accusing them of acting under instructions from the Bharatiya Janata Party. She questioned the conduct of polling and raised concerns about fairness.
Tensions were particularly visible in Bhabanipur, where BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari faced protests from Trinamool Congress supporters. Similar confrontations were reported in other constituencies, including Kolkata Port and Noapara, where clashes between rival party supporters led to disruptions.
Allegations also emerged regarding irregularities in some polling booths. In the Falta constituency, claims were made that voting buttons on electronic voting machines were obstructed, while reports of clashes involving Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) surfaced in multiple areas. The Trinamool Congress accused central forces of excesses, including instances of alleged assault on voters.
The Election Commission had deployed 2,321 companies of central forces to ensure security during the polling process. Senior officials from the Central Reserve Police Force and Border Security Force were present in sensitive areas to oversee law and order.
Despite isolated incidents, polling remained largely peaceful across the seven districts. Authorities confirmed that voting was conducted successfully in the majority of constituencies.
In a post-poll measure, the Election Commission has decided to retain 700 companies of central forces in the State for approximately two months to prevent any potential violence. This follows concerns based on post-election incidents reported in previous polls.
With the completion of voting, the electoral fate of 2,926 candidates across 294 constituencies has been sealed in electronic voting machines. The total electorate for the election stood at 6.81 crore voters. Vote counting is scheduled for May 4, 2026.
