EC officials said the polling was mostly peaceful, with sporadic incidents of violence in Bengal’s Murshidabad, Dakshin Dinajpur, Asansol and Cooch Behar
Tamil Nadu and 152 constituencies in West Bengal registered record voting on Thursday in assembly polls that were largely free of violence, a trend reflecting mass deletions in electoral rolls and prompting the ruling and opposition sides in both states to claim victory.
In Tamil Nadu, where all 234 seats went to the polls, a voting percentage of 85.11% was recorded at 11pm. With 57.3 million electors in the state according to an ECI press release on April 23, this translates to 48.8 million voters, also the highest turnout in the state’s history. A higher turnout than previous polls is generally expected with a growing adult population. However, this was put in doubt because the SIR exercise excised 11.6% of the state’s electorate. The voting trends show that this has not happened.
The expected turnout of 48.8 million voters –– the numbers will be revised upwards as data from more polling centres comes in –– is also higher than the 43.4 million voters in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the latest election before the 2026 assembly election. The highest turnout was recorded in Veerapandi (93.41%) and the lowest in Palayamkottai (68.97%).
In West Bengal, Phase 1 recorded around 92.35% voter turnout by 11 pm. While the 152 constituencies can only be traced back to the 2011 assembly election because of the 2008 delimitation exercise (and because AC-level turnout for Lok Sabha elections is available only from 2014), this is the highest turnout for these 152 ACs since at least the 2011 assembly elections. With 36 million electors in this phase, the 92.35% turnout translates to an absolute turnout of 33.2 million, also the highest since at least since the 2011 assembly elections.
While West Bengal had excised 11.6% of its electorate in SIR, the 152 first phase seats had seen 9.9% deletions. Yet, the 32.9 million turnout in these first phase ACs has not dropped below the 2024 Lok Sabha turnout of 31.52 million. The highest turnout was recorded inMurarai (96.95%) and the lowest in Mekhliganj (82.12%).
In both states, women voters outpaced their male counterparts. “Highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu since Independence – ECI salutes each voter of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu,” said chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Some clashes, allegations of intimidation, and attacks on at least three candidates were reported, but the polls were largely violence-free.
In 2021, the Trinamool Congress won 92of these 152 seats that stretch from the tea gardens of North Bengal to the communally sensitive belts of Murshidabad and the tribal-dominated Jangalmahal. The Bharatiya Janata Party won 59.
According to Election Commission officials, the polling was mostly peaceful, with sporadic incidents of violence reported from districts such as Murshidabad, Dakshin Dinajpur, Asansol and Cooch Behar in West Bengal. No serious injuries were reported and 1,002 complaints related to violence and intimidation among other issues were received in the state till 2pm, as per Election Commission officials. No major violence incident was reported in Tamil Nadu.
“As far as I know, the polling rate is surpassing all records. Fear (among voters) is stepping back and confidence is marching ahead. All are saying change is necessary. BJP’s victory is certain,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the day’s first rally in Nadia district around 1.40pm when the average turnout had already crossed 62%.
Hours later, chief minister Mamata Banerjee told voters at Kolkata’s Chowringhee constituency that the record turnout pointed toward her party’s victory.
“Do you know why the polling is so high even after delisting of so many voters during the electoral roll revision? People see this as their battle to save democratic rights. If BJP wins it will order delimitation and enforce the NRC (National Register of Citizens)…From the votes that have been polled I can say we have already won. I can read people,” she said.
In Tamil Nadu, the contest is primarily between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Secular Progressive Alliance and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contesting 27 of 234 seats as part of the NDA. The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by actor-politician C Joseph Vijay hopes to emerge as the third force in the state. The turnout in 2021 was 78.29%.
Chief minister M K Stalin is contesting from Kolathur (Chennai) and his son and deputy Udhayanidhi from Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni. AIADMK chief Edapaddi Palaniswami is contesting from Edappadi in the Salem district and Vijay from Perambur (Chennai), and Tiruchirappalli East.
Kolathur recorded 86.11% while Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni seat witnessed 84.34% as of 6pm. Edappadi logged 92.08%. In 2021, the Kolathur constituency recorded 64.63% voting, Chepauk-Thiruvellikeni 60.73% and Edappadi 89.8%. Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East constituencies garnered 89.79% and 81.77%, respectively.
Actor Ajith Kumar was the first to cast his vote as officials allowed him to vote early for security reasons. He arrived at a polling booth in Thiruvanmiyur dressed in a white suit and dark sunglasses, showed his inked finger to waiting fans, and left. A large crowd gathered, requiring police deployment.
Stalin, Vijay, and BJP leader K Annamalai all turned up to vote in white shirts and khaki or beige trousers. After voting, Stalin was asked about Ajith Kumar’s reported remark that there was “no need for change” in Tamil Nadu. He replied: “What he said is right.”
Actor Rajinikanth voted at Stella Maris College in a white T-shirt, accompanied by his daughter Soundarya. Actor Kamal Haasan arrived at an Alwarpet school with his daughter Shruti Haasan. Actor Dhanush voted in a black outfit at a Chennai booth, while actor Vikram cast his vote at Besant Nagar, accompanied by his son Dhruv.
In West Bengal, tensions flared in parts of Murshidabad, Birbhum, Cooch Behar and Dakshin Dinajpur, with alleged clashes between rival party workers, incidents of crude bomb hurling, and attacks on candidates.
