West Bengal registers record turnout of 92.47 per cent in two-phased polls

West Bengal has registered a record 92.47 per cent voter turnout in two-phased assembly polls, the highest since Independence, the Election Commission said on Wednesday. According to the Election Commission EC, previously, the highest poll participation in Tamil Nadu was 78.29 per cent 2011 Assembly polls and 84.72 per cent in West Bengal 2011.

West Bengal has registered a record 92.47 per cent voter turnout in two-phased assembly polls, the highest since Independence, the Election Commission said on Wednesday. As of 7.45 pm, poll participation in West Bengal in phase II of assembly elections stood at 91.66 per cent. In phase I of the elections on April 23, the poll participation was 93.19 per cent. ''The combined poll percentage over the two phases stands at 92.47 per cent,'' the poll watchdog said. West Bengal has a voter base of 6.81 crore. Previously, the highest voter turnout in the state was 84.72 per cent in the 2011 assembly polls. In this phase, the participation of women electors was marginally higher compared to men. According to the EC, 92.28 per cent of the total women electors voted as compared to 91.07 per cent men. On April 9, Assam and Puducherry surpassed their highest-ever poll participation by recording a voter turnout of 85.38 per cent and 89.83 per cent respectively. According to the Election Commission (EC), previously, the highest poll participation in Tamil Nadu was 78.29 per cent (2011 Assembly polls) and 84.72 per cent in West Bengal (2011). In both states, women voters came out in larger numbers than men to exercise their franchise. In Tamil Nadu, women's participation was recorded at 85.76 per cent as compared to 83.57 per cent for men. In West Bengal, 92.69 per cent of women voters turned up at the polling stations, compared to 90.92 per cent men. Tamil Nadu, where all the 234 seats went to polls on April 23 , has 5.73 crore voters, whereas in the 152 seats of West Bengal where polling was held on Thursday, the voter base is 3.6 crore. Responding to the impressive voter turnout, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said, ''For the highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal since Independence, the EC salutes each voter of the state.'' The counting of votes for all five assemblies -- West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and Assam -- will be taken up on May 4.