High voter turnout marks Assembly elections across states; West Bengal tops with 93.71 pc participation: EC

New Delhi [India], May 16 : Assembly elections held across five states/UTs between March and May 2026 witnessed an overall upward trend in voter participation compared to the 2021 Assembly polls, according to Election Commission (EC) statistics.

Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal recorded their highest-ever voter turnout since 1951, reflecting a significant rise in electoral engagement.

West Bengal emerged as the state with the highest voter turnout in the 2026 Assembly elections, recording 93.71 per cent participation in Indian history since Independence. The state had recorded around 85 per cent turnout in 2011. The total number of electors increased from 76,35,066 in 1951 records to 6,38,42,843 in 2026.

In Assam, the total number of electors has grown from 24,48,890 in 1961 to 2,16,84,656 in 2026. The state recorded a voter turnout of 86.33 per cent in the 2026 state Assembly elections, compared to 80 per cent in 1985.

Puducherry also witnessed a historic rise in participation, registering 91.19 per cent voter turnout in 2026. Earlier, the Union Territory had consistently recorded high participation, including in 1974, 2006, 2011 and 2016 when turnout hovered around 85 per cent. The number of electors increased from 1,71,147 in 1964 to 8,66,932 in 2026.

Tamil Nadu recorded 86.03 per cent voter turnout in the 2026 Assembly elections, significantly higher than the around 80 per cent recorded in 2011. The number of electors in the state rose from 1,59,25,796 in 1967 to 4,93,89,958 in 2026.

However, Keralam saw a decline in turnout, registering 79.53 per cent in 2026 compared to 85 per cent in the 1960 Assembly elections. The number of electors rose from 58,50,114 in 1957 to 2,16,30,208 in 2026.

According to EC data, the highest voter turnouts since Independence include West Bengal in 2026 (93.71 per cent), Tripura in 2013 (93.61 per cent), Tripura in 2008 (92.49 per cent), Nagaland in 2013 (91.62 per cent), Nagaland in 1993 (91.53 per cent), Manipur in 1995 (91.41 per cent), Tripura in 2018 (91.38 per cent), Manipur in 2002 (90.38 per cent), Manipur in 1990 (89.95 per cent), Manipur in 2000 (89.87 per cent), and Puducherry in 2026 (89.87 per cent).

The Election Commission noted that all five Assembly elections held during the March-May 2026 period reflected a positive trend in voter participation compared to the previous Assembly elections in 2021.

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