People wait in a queue to cast votes during the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly election, in Nandigram, Purba Medinipur district. Photo: PTI
Assembly elections LIVE: West Bengal sees 90% voter turnout; TN 84%
The voter turnout is among the highest in both states in recent electoral history
Close to 90 per cent of the 3.60 crore electors turned up to vote in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls till 5 pm on Thursday, held under the shadow of large-scale name deletions under the SIR exercise, sporadic violence and assault on at least three candidates.
The voter turnout is among the highest in the state's recent electoral history. Polling in 16 districts began at 7 am on Thursday amid tight security to decide the electoral fate of 1,478 candidates, including 167 women, in 152 constituencies of the 294-strong state Assembly.
Long queues outside polling booths reflected strong voter participation in what is being seen as a crucial round in a high-stakes contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP.
The state recorded 89.93 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm, with the Dakshin Dinajpur district leading with 93.12 per cent polling. With voting slated to continue till 6 pm, political observers said the turnout might cross 95 per cent.
The second phase will be held on April 29, when 142 seats in and around Kolkata go to polls.
Tamil Nadu also sees high turnout
Tamil Nadu surpassed its highest assembly polls turnout on Thursday, when over 84 per cent of the 5.73 crore voters cast their vote for the elections to 234 constituencies across the state. Till 6 pm, the state recorded 84.29 per cent voting, according to Election Commission of India (EC) figures. The state recorded its highest--78.29 per cent, in the 2011 polls that the AIADMK swept.
Incidentally, through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the electorate size has been reduced from 6.41 crore recorded in October 2025 to the current 5.73 crore. Consequently, the 2021 polls saw about 6.29 crore people registered, 56 lakh voters more than this year.
On Thursday, Karur district topped with 91.86 per cent voter turnout.
Chennai registered 83.09 per cent polling, while in Madurai it was 80.15 per cent, Coimbatore saw 84.40 per cent and the centrally located Tiruchirappalli district witnessed 85.04 per cent polling. Kolathur Assembly constituency in Chennai, where DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin is contesting, saw 85.63 polling till 6 pm.
At Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni, it was 83.58 per cent. Deputy CM and Stalin's son, Udhayanidhi is trying his luck for the second time from this city constituency.
Follow all LIVE updates below:
Live Updates
- 23 April 2026 7:42 AM IST
Suvendu speaks as Nandigram votes today
Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal LoP and BJP candidate from Nandigram (and Bhabanipur), says, "...We are Hindus, we are Sanatanis. I offered prayers, offered a 'naman'.... I spoke to polling agents of my constituency...Polling should be held peacefully." - 23 April 2026 7:39 AM IST
Chidambaram casts his vote
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram casts his vote in Karaikudi, Sivaganga, and says young voters “cannot vote for a fanciful idea, they have to vote for a stable government”. - 23 April 2026 7:36 AM IST
Khushbu Sundar casts her vote
State BJP vice president Khushbu Sundar casts her vote at a polling booth in Mylapore.The constituency sees a contest between BJP's Tamilisai Soundararajan here and DMK's D. Velu. - 23 April 2026 7:14 AM IST
Voters wait in Birbhum, WB
Long queues of voters formed outside a polling station in Birbhum as polling for the first phase of State Assembly elections begins. - 23 April 2026 7:13 AM IST
Voters wait outside Siliguri booth
People queue up outside a polling station in Siliguri as they await their turn to cast a vote. - 23 April 2026 7:12 AM IST
Rajinikanth's daily walk before voting
Superstar Rajinikanth goes for a morning walk in Chennai. He will cast his vote at Stella Maris College in the city.
