West Bengal Elections 2026: Massive Turnout in Phase 1 Amid Voter Roll Controversy
Assembly Elections 2026 (Source : The Hindu)
The first phase of West Bengal Assembly Elections, 2026 which was conducted on Thursday (23rd April) witnessed a massive voter turnout of 92.35%, making history since the state elections of 1951. While the Election Commission of India described the polling day as mostly peaceful, but the unusually high turnout has triggered sharp political reactions between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) because of the “purification” of electoral rolls that saw millions of names removed.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer, districts such as Dakshin Dinajpur and Cooch Behar had the highest participation recording 95.22% and 95.17% votes turnover respectively. However, experts feel that it is still lower than the total number of votes casted in 2021 as the recent Special Intensive Research (SIR) of electoral rolls removed 90 lakh names because of death, migration or duplicate registrations. With the voter base reduced, turnout percentages naturally appear higher.
Contrasting Claims by TMC and BJP
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seemed to be confident with the recorded number, interpreting that the high voters’ percentage reflected growing support for the ruling All India Trinamool Congress. After the polling ended she said, “The people have spoken through their participation” and also stated that their welfare schemes and local governance had earned public trust.
On the opposite side, Suvendu Adhikari, senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party interpreted the turnout differently by stating it signaled strong anti-incumbency sentiment and predicted major gains for his party. “Our booth-level reports are extremely encouraging,” Adhikari told reporters, suggesting that the BJP could emerge with a strong lead from the constituencies voting in this phase.
Academic Shifts and Social Restrictions
The electoral process has also affected the daily lives of people in Kolkata. The University of Calcutta had officially announced that all undergraduate classes will take place in an online mode from April 22 to May 5 as the campuses will be used by several security forces. Simultaneously, the city remains under a strict election-linked alcohol ban. Liquor stores and bars reported rush- hour crowds as residents prepare for the ban period.
With the second phase of polling set for April 29, security remains tight across the state. Attention now turns to the remaining 142 constituencies, which will decide the shape of the next 294- member West Bengal Assembly.
