Staff Reporters
Massive voters turnout witnessed for the single-phase Assembly Elections in Tamil Nadu and the first phase of polling in West Bengal. As per the latest reports, in Tamil Nadu, around 85% of voters recorded their votes, while in West Bengal, nearly 92% of voters exercised their franchise.
Bengal registered a polling percentage of 91.78 per cent in the first phase of the Assembly election on Thursday, the highest in the state since Independence, according to a press note from the Election Commission of India.
Previously, the highest poll-participation in Bengal was 84.72 per cent (overall) in 2011 — the year Mamata Banerjee dethroned the Left Front government.
Tamil Nadu at 84.69 per cent also notched up its own highest turnout since Independence, breaking the previous record of 78.29 per cent in 2011.
Bengal’s process of counting votes polled seemed to be still on; at 9.55pm the ECI Net app showed 92.56 per cent voter turnout in the 152 seats across 16 districts in the state.
In Tamil Nadu, voting took place for 234 Assembly seats and 152 constituencies in West Bengal.
Counting of votes will take place along with Assam, Keralam and Puducherry Assembly Elections on the 4th of next month.
Only three districts – Kalimpong, Darjeeling and West Burdwan – had a turnout of less than 90 per cent, with the lowest in Kalimpong at 83 per cent.
The three districts of North Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidabad, where the highest number of voters were marked under adjudication in the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, have recorded over 93 per cent turnout each.
Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has expressed satisfaction with the first phase of polling in West Bengal.
Addressing rallies in Balagarh and Pursurah in Hooghly district, Mr Shah said the high voter turnout in just a few hours proves that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government is on the verge of collapse. He urged voters to come out fearlessly again on 29th April, warning that anyone who intimidates voters will face action once a BJP government is formed.
In Berhampore, Congress candidate Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also expressed satisfaction regarding the voting process. Polling was held today for Assembly By-Elections in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Counting of votes will take place along with Assam, Keralam and Puducherry Assembly Elections on the 4th of May.