New Delhi

Voter participation in the second phase of West Bengal Assembly elections reached 78.68 per cent by 3:30 pm on Wednesday, according to data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Among the districts, Purba Bardhaman registered the highest turnout at 83.11 per cent, followed by Hooghly with 80.77 per cent. Nadia reported 79.79 per cent polling, while Kolkata North and Kolkata South recorded 78 per cent and 75.38 per cent respectively. South 24 Parganas also witnessed strong participation, with turnout touching 76.75 per cent.

The current electoral contest in West Bengal is primarily between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The second phase is being closely watched as a key test for the TMC, as voting is taking place in its traditional strongholds across South Bengal and Kolkata.

This phase covers 142 of the state’s 294 Assembly constituencies. Around 3.21 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women and 792 transgender voters. A total of 1,448 candidates, including 220 women, are contesting the polls across 41,001 polling stations, more than 8,000 of which are being managed entirely by women.

Apart from the overall battle for 142 seats, attention remains focused on five major urban constituencies. Bhabanipur is among the most high-profile contests, while Tollyganj, known as the hub of Bengal’s film industry, is also witnessing an intense fight.

In the 2021 elections, the TMC had performed strongly in this region, winning 123 of these 142 seats. For the BJP, this phase presents an opportunity to expand support among urban middle-class voters and the Matua community, while the TMC is aiming to retain dominance and secure a fourth straight term for Mamata Banerjee.

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Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.