West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of over 90 per cent of its 3.21 crore electors by 5 PM on Wednesday in the second and final phase of the 2026 Assembly elections, conducted across 142 constituencies in seven districts amid sporadic violence.
The turnout figures rose steadily through the day, from 39.97 per cent at 11 AM to 61.11 per cent by 1 PM and 78.68 per cent by 3:30 PM. Purba Bardhaman led district-wise with 83.11 per cent at 3:30 PM, followed by Hooghly at 80.77 per cent and Nadia at 79.79 per cent. Kolkata North recorded 78 per cent, Kolkata South 75.38 per cent, and South 24 Parganas 76.75 per cent.
West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal said that repolling is likely to be announced in booths where Electronic Voting Machines are found to have been tampered with. The BJP had raised complaints of tape found on EVM buttons at certain booths and demanded repolling; the State Election Commissioner had earlier said all such reports would be verified.
The Election Commission of India had deployed over 3.5 lakh security personnel statewide, including nearly 35,000 in Kolkata, and for the first time pressed the National Investigation Agency into service to respond to serious incidents. A total of 1,448 candidates, including 220 women, contested across 41,001 polling stations covering Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Hooghly, and Purba Bardhaman.
Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress candidate Mamata Banerjee alleged that central forces were "torturing common people" and targeting TMC workers at booths, while BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari expressed confidence in the party securing a full majority in the state.
The electorate for this phase comprised over 1.64 crore men, 1.57 crore women, and 792 transgender voters. Phase 1, conducted on April 23 across 152 constituencies, had recorded a turnout of 93.19 per cent. Votes from both phases will be counted on May 4, 2026.
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