**Executive Summary**
The West Bengal General Assembly elections (Phase-II) held on April 29, 2026, recorded a 91.66% turnout, contributing to a record-breaking combined participation rate of 92.47% across two phases. This surpasses the previous historical high of 84.72% recorded in 2011. While provisional data is currently available on the ECINET app, final figures—including service and postal ballots—will be shared via Index Cards once data from the remaining 5,343 polling stations is updated.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Poll Participation and Demographics**
* **Record Turnout:** The combined turnout for Phase-I (93.19%) and Phase-II (91.66%) reached 92.47%, the highest since Independence.
* **Gender Breakdown (Phase-II):** Female voters recorded the highest participation at 92.28%, followed by third-gender voters at 91.28% and male voters at 91.07%.
* **Scale of Operations:** Across both phases, elections covered 24 districts and 294 Assembly Constituencies (ACs), involving a total electorate of 6.81 crore and 85,377 polling stations.
**Monitoring and Technology**
* **Live Surveillance:** The Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners monitored 100% of polling stations through live-webcasting.
* **ECINET Integration:** Presiding Officers updated polling trends directly into ECINET to minimize delays; the ECINET App provides approximate district-wise and AC-wise turnout figures.
* **Data Status:** Current figures are provisional and exclude service voters and postal ballots.
**Voter-Friendly Initiatives**
* **Enhanced EVMs:** Ballot papers featured identifiable color photos of candidates to assist voters.
* **Improved Documentation:** Newly designed Voter Information Slips (VIS) were introduced for better readability.
* **Station Logistics:** A limit of 1,200 electors per polling station was enforced to manage crowds, alongside the implementation of a Mobile Deposit Facility (MDF).
**Accessibility Measures**
* **Support for PwD Voters:** Polling stations were equipped with wheelchairs and volunteers.
* **Transportation:** Dedicated transport facilities were provided to help PwD voters reach their respective polling stations.
**Impact Analysis**
**Election Commission Officials / PROs**
**Impact**
Responsible for the management of the highest-ever recorded turnout and the implementation of live-webcasting across all stations.
**Action Required**
Must update data from the remaining 5,343 polling stations and issue final figures through Index Cards on ECINET.
**Presiding Officers**
**Impact**
Required to follow latest ECI instructions regarding real-time digital updates to ensure minimal delay in polling trends.
**Action Required**
Ensure all polling percentages are updated on ECINET before leaving the polling station at the close of poll.
**PwD Voters (Persons with Disabilities)**
**Impact**
Beneficiaries of enhanced accessibility infrastructure and dedicated logistical support.
**Action Required**
Utilize provided transport, wheelchairs, and volunteer assistance to facilitate their participation at polling stations.
**General Electorate**
**Impact**
Affected by new initiatives regarding EVM transparency, station limits, and improved information slips.
**Action Required**
Access the ECINET App for real-time district-wise and AC-wise approximate voter turnout figures.
Key Entities Referenced
Election Commission: The primary regulatory body responsible for conducting the assembly elections and implementing voter initiatives mentioned in the release.
West Bengal: The state central to the applicability of the reported poll participation figures and the 2026 Legislative Assembly elections.
ECINET: A dedicated digital portal and application used by polling officials for real-time data transmission, trend reporting, and voter turnout tracking.
Chief Election Commissioner: The lead official (Shri Gyanesh Kumar) identified as having primary oversight and monitoring responsibilities for the polling process.
Voter Information Slips (VIS): A voter-friendly initiative introduced to provide readable election details to the electorate to ensure ease of participation.
Election Commission
West Bengal records highest-ever poll-
participation since Independence
91.66% poll-participation recorded in Phase-II
Posted On: 29 APR 2026 8:35PM by PIB Delhi
1. Polling for the General elections for the Legislative Assemblies of West Bengal (Phase-II) began
today at 7:00 AM.
2. As of 7:45 PM, poll-participation in West Bengal (Phase-II) stood at 91.66%. In phase
-I of the West Bengal general elections, the poll-participation was 93.19%. The combined poll-
percentage over the two-phases stands at 92.47%. Previously, the highest poll-participation in WB was
84.72% (2011 GELA). Details of poll-participation over the years are annexed.
3. Gender-wise details of poll-participation (%) in West Bengal Assembly Election (Phase-II) are as
follows:
General Elections to Legislative Assembly of Poll Percentage (%) *+
WB (Phase-II)
Male Female 3rd Gender Total
91.07 92.28 91.28 91.66
*As per data uploaded by the PROs themselves in ECINET. Data from 5,343 PS in WB yet to be updated
+Data is provisional and it does not include Service Voters & Postal Ballots. Final figures will be shared in
Index Cards through ECINET
4. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr.
S.S. Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi kept a close watch on the polling through live-webcasting which
was ensured in 100% of the Polling Stations in West Bengal (Phase-II) as well.
5. Details of electorate, polling stations, polling staff, candidates and polling agents in the state across
both phases are as below:
Electorate
Polling Polling
PHASE Districts ACs Male Female 3rd Total Candidates Stations Staff
(in (in Gender (in
crores) crores) crores)I 16 152 1.84 1.76 465 3.60 1,478 44,376 2,21,880
II*+ 8 142 1.65 1.57 792 3.21 1,448 41,001 2,05,005
TOTAL 24 294 3.49 3.33 1,257 6.81 2,926 85,377 4,26,885
*As per data uploaded by the PROs themselves in ECINET. Data from 5,343 PS in WB(Phase-II) yet to
be updated
+Data is provisional and it does not include Service Voters & Postal Ballots. Final figures will be shared in
Index Cards through ECINET
6. Presiding Officers updated the polling percentage on ECINET at the close of poll before leaving
the polling station as per ECI’s latest instructions resulting in minimal delay in updation of the
polling trends.
7. Several new voter-friendly initiatives such as easily identifiable colour photos of candidates on
EVM ballot papers, Mobile Deposit Facility (MDF), newly designed Voter Information Slips (VIS)
for easy readability and limit of electors upto 1,200 per polling station were ensured in these
elections.
8. Polling stations were also provided with wheelchairs and volunteers to assist PwD voters.
Transport facilities were also provided to assist PwD voters in reaching their respective polling
stations.
9. District-wise and AC wise approximate voter turnout figures are available on the ECINET App.
**********
PK/GDH/RP
Annexure -1 Table2: West Bengal: Gender-wise Poll Participation in Elections [1951 – 2026]
Sl. State Year of Election Election Male Female Total
Election Type Year VTR VTR % VTR
No.
% %
1 West Bengal 1951 LA 1951(LA) 43.12
2 West Bengal 1951 LS 1951(LS) 40.49
3 West Bengal 1957 LA 1957(LA) 47.64
4 West Bengal 1957 LS 1957(LS) 47.67
5 West Bengal 1962 LA 1962(LA) 61.77 47.43 55.55
6 West Bengal 1962 LS 1962(LS) 61.98 47.62 55.75
7 West Bengal 1967 LA 1967(LA) 70.69 60.51 66.108 West Bengal 1967 LS 1967(LS) 70.88 60.15 66.03
9 West Bengal 1969 LA 1969(LA) 69.67 62.57 66.51
10 West Bengal 1971 LA 1971(LA) 65.09 58.09 62.03
11 West Bengal 1971 LS 1971(LS) 64.51 58.57 61.93
12 West Bengal 1972 LA 1972(LA) 63.19 57.75 60.82
13 West Bengal 1977 LA 1977(LA) 59.72 51.86 56.15
14 West Bengal 1977 LS 1977(LS) 64.86 54.75 60.24
15 West Bengal 1980 LS 1980(LS) 72.58 68.18 70.62
16 West Bengal 1982 LA 1982(LA) 78.79 74.87 76.96
17 West Bengal 1984 LS 1984(LS) 81.74 75.04 78.61
18 West Bengal 1987 LA 1987(LA) 77.42 73.65 75.66
19 West Bengal 1989 LS 1989(LS) 82.05 76.92 79.67
20 West Bengal 1991 LA 1991(LA) 77.53 75.96 76.80
21 West Bengal 1991 LS 1991(LS) 78.33 74.88 76.73
22 West Bengal 1996 LA 1996(LA) 83.86 81.92 82.94
23 West Bengal 1996 LS 1996(LS) 84.27 80.86 82.66
24 West Bengal 1998 LS 1998(LS) 80.73 77.66 79.27
25 West Bengal 1999 LS 1999(LS) 76.70 73.25 75.05
26 West Bengal 2001 LA 2001(LA) 77.83 72.53 75.29
27 West Bengal 2004 LS 2004(LS) 79.86 75.38 78.04
28 West Bengal 2006 LA 2006(LA) 82.34 80.75 81.58
29 West Bengal 2009 LS 2009(LS) 82.29 80.25 81.4230 West Bengal 2011 LA 2011(LA) 84.22 84.45 84.72
31 West Bengal 2014 LS 2014(LS) 82.19 81.96 82.22
32 West Bengal 2016 LA 2016(LA) 82.23 83.13 83.02
33 West Bengal 2019 LS 2019(LS) 81.35 81.79 81.76
34 West Bengal 2021 LA 2021(LA) 81.37 81.75 82.30
35 West Bengal 2024 LS 2024(LS) 78.20 80.16 79.55
36 West Bengal 2026 LA *2026(LA) 91.74 93.24 92.47
*As per data uploaded by the PROs themselves in ECINET. Data from 5,343 PS in WB yet to be updated
+Data is provisional and it does not include Service Voters & Postal Ballots. Final figures will be shared in
Index Cards through ECINETAnnexure-3Table2: Phase-wise & gender-wise Poll Participation (%) in General Elections to SLA of West
Bengal - 2026
Phase 1 Phase 2 Combined (Phase 1 & 2)
Male 92.34 91.07 91.74
Female 94.1 92.28 93.24
Total 93.19 91.66 92.47
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