West Bengal records 18.39 per cent voter turnout by 9 am in second phase of Assembly polls

West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 18.39 per cent till 9 am on Wednesday as polling commenced for the second phase of the 2026 Assembly elections covering 142 constituencies across the state.

According to early polling data, Purba Bardhaman registered the highest turnout at 20.86 per cent, followed closely by Hooghly with 20.16 per cent voting. Nadia recorded 18.50 per cent turnout, while North 24 Parganas registered 17.81 per cent polling till 9 am.

In Kolkata, voter participation stood at 17.28 per cent in Kolkata North and 16.81 per cent in Kolkata South. Howrah recorded 17.76 per cent turnout during the same period.

The second phase of polling is considered politically significant as voting is taking place across South Bengal and Kolkata, regions regarded as strongholds of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). The electoral contest in the state is primarily between the TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, visited polling booths in the Bhabanipur constituency earlier in the day to review arrangements. TMC national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee cast his vote at the Mitra Institute polling booth in Bhabanipur.

Polling in the second phase is being viewed as a crucial electoral test for the TMC as the party seeks to retain dominance in its traditional support base amid an aggressive challenge from the BJP.

The phase covers 142 of the total 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal. The electorate for this phase comprises approximately 3.21 crore voters, including 1,64,35,627 men, 1,57,37,418 women and 792 transgender voters.