23 April,2026 04:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
People wait in queues before casting votes in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. PIC/PTI
Polling in the ongoing Assembly elections saw high participation by 3 pm on Thursday, with West Bengal leading at 78.77 per cent voter turnout. Tamil Nadu followed with a strong 70 per cent turnout, according to data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), reported ANI.
Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, with both states witnessing steady turnout throughout the day.
In West Bengal, several districts recorded very high participation, with many crossing the 80 per cent mark.
Dakshin Dinajpur saw 81.49 per cent, Paschim Medinipur at 81.07 per cent, Jhargram at 81.04 per cent while Birbhum was at 80.22 per cent. Other districts also saw strong turnout, including Murshidabad at 79.72 per cent, while Darjeeling and Malda recorded over 76 per cent, reported PTI.
Officials noted that voter engagement was high in both urban and rural areas. The trend suggests a strong response from the electorate across the state.
Tamil Nadu recorded 70 per cent turnout by 3 pm, with voting across all 234 Assembly constituencies.
Key district-wise figures included: Salem with 75.79 per cent, Coimbatore at 71.16 per cent, Tiruchirappalli at 71.05 per cent Chennai and Madurai at 68.13 per cent and 67.15 per cent respectively.
In Chennai's Kolathur constituency, where Chief Minister M K Stalin is contesting, turnout stood at 70.24 per cent. At Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni, it was 67.68 per cent, while Edappadi saw 75.84 per cent. Tiruchirappalli East, where actor-politician Vijay is contesting under Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), recorded 68.02 per cent turnout, as per ANI.
The Tamil Nadu election features a major contest between the DMK-led alliance and the AIADMK-led NDA, with several regional and national parties in play.
In West Bengal, the election is being held across 152 constituencies in the first phase, with 1,478 candidates in the fray. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is seeking a fourth term, while the BJP is aiming to strengthen its position in the state.
By 1 pm, Tamil Nadu had recorded 62.18 per cent turnout, while West Bengal stood at 56.81 per cent. The voting process is expected to continue smoothly until 6 pm. West Bengal elections are being held in multiple phases, with remaining constituencies voting later. Counting of votes will take place on May 4.
(With ANI and PTI Inputs)
