New Delhi

Voter participation saw a sharp rise by late afternoon on Thursday, with Election Commission of India data showing West Bengal registering an impressive 89.93 per cent turnout by 5 pm, well ahead of Tamil Nadu’s strong 82.24 per cent.

The figures reflect a significant surge in voting activity as polling hours neared closure, pointing to robust public engagement in both states.

West Bengal continued to lead in turnout, with multiple districts crossing the 90 per cent mark. Dakshin Dinajpur topped the list with 93.12 per cent, followed by Cooch Behar (92.07 per cent), Birbhum (91.55 per cent), Murshidabad (91.36 per cent), and Jalpaiguri (91.20 per cent). Jhargram (90.53 per cent) and Paschim Medinipur (90.70 per cent) also remained above the 90 per cent level. Bankura recorded 89.91 per cent, Malda 89.56 per cent, while Darjeeling, though lower in comparison, still posted a notable 86.49 per cent.

Tamil Nadu too witnessed a steady climb in voter turnout through the day, with several districts approaching the high-80 per cent range. Karur led with 89.32 per cent, followed by Salem (88.02 per cent), Erode (87.59 per cent), Dharmapuri (87.28 per cent), and Tiruppur (86.33 per cent). Ariyalur recorded 83.09 per cent, Tiruchirappalli 82.76 per cent, and Chennai 81.34 per cent, reflecting strong participation in both urban and semi-urban regions. Madurai (77.89 per cent) and Thoothukudi (77.56 per cent) reported comparatively lower but still substantial turnout figures.

The current trend builds on the high participation seen in the 2021 Assembly elections, when West Bengal recorded 85.2 per cent turnout and Tamil Nadu 76.6 per cent, reinforcing the pattern of strong electoral engagement in both states.

Meanwhile, by-elections also saw increasing participation. Gujarat’s Umreth constituency recorded 54.43 per cent turnout, while in Maharashtra, Rahuri registered 50.68 per cent and Baramati 52.44 per cent.

Earlier in the day, turnout stood at 78.77 per cent in West Bengal and 70 per cent in Tamil Nadu by 3 pm. By 1 pm, Tamil Nadu had briefly led with 62.18 per cent compared to West Bengal’s 56.81 per cent, indicating a strong early voting trend.

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Polling for 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and 152 in West Bengal began under tight security arrangements and is scheduled to conclude at 6 pm. The remaining 142 constituencies in West Bengal will go to polls on May 29, with counting of votes set for May 4.