New Delhi [India], April 23 : Voter turnout surged to remarkable levels by 5 PM on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a massive 89.93% voter turnout rate, significantly ahead of Tamil Nadu, which also posted a strong 82.24%, according to the Election Commission.
The late afternoon figures highlight an intense wave of voter participation across both states, as polling hours drew to a close.
West Bengal once again emerged as the frontrunner, with several districts crossing the 90% mark. Dakshin Dinajpur led the state with an exceptional 93.12%, followed by Cooch Behar at 92.07%, Birbhum at 91.55%, Murshidabad at 91.36%, and Jalpaiguri at 91.20%. Jhargram (90.53%) and Paschim Medinipur (90.70%) also remained above the 90% threshold, while Bankura recorded 89.91% and Malda 89.56%. Darjeeling, though comparatively lower, still posted a strong 86.49%.
The numbers reflect an overwhelming voter turnout across districts, reinforcing West Bengal's consistent trend of high electoral participation.
Tamil Nadu also witnessed a sharp rise in turnout as the day progressed, with several districts nearing or surpassing the high-80% range. Karur led the state with 89.32%, followed by Salem at 88.02%, Erode at 87.59%, Dharmapuri at 87.28%, and Tiruppur at 86.33%. Ariyalur recorded 83.09%, Tiruchirappalli 82.76%, and Chennai 81.34%, indicating strong urban and semi-urban participation. Meanwhile, Madurai (77.89%) and Thoothukudi (77.56%) reported relatively lower but still significant turnout figures.
Meanwhile, in the by-elections, polling also picked up pace by 5 PM. In Gujarat, the Umreth constituency recorded a voter turnout of 54.43%. In Maharashtra, Rahuri saw 50.68% polling, while Baramati reported a slightly higher turnout at 52.44%.
Earlier in the day, voter turnout stood at 78.77% in West Bengal and 70.00% in Tamil Nadu by 3 PM, as per ECI data.
By 1 PM, West Bengal had recorded 56.81% turnout compared to Tamil Nadu's 62.18%, indicating strong early participation.
Polling for the 234 Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and 152 constituencies in West Bengal began amid tight security this morning. The voting will conclude at 6:00 pm today. Polling in the remaining 142 constituencies in West Bengal is slated for May 29, and counting of votes will take place on May 4.
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