West Bengal witnessed nearly 92% polling in the first phase of assembly polls held on Thursday. According to the Election Commission of India, Polling for the General Elections for the Legislative Assemblies of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (Phase-I) and the bye-elections in 3 ACs of 2 States (Gujarat and Maharashtra) began today at 7:00 AM.

Tamil Nadu with 84.69% and West Bengal (Phase-I) with 91.78% recorded the highest- ever poll-participation since Independence. Previously, the highest poll-participation in Tamil Nadu was 78.29% (2011 GELA) and in West Bengal was 84.72% (2011 GELA) respectively. Details of previous poll participation figures are annexed,

    Details of poll participation (%) are as follows: 

State/UT	Poll Percentage (%)
	Male	Female	3rd Gender	Total
General Elections to Legislative Assembly
Tamil Nadu	83.57	85.76	60.49	84.69
West Bengal (Ph-I)	90.92	92.69	56.79	91.78
Bye-elections to AC
Gujarat1.  Umreth-111	61.52	56.34	50.00	59.03
Maharashtra1.  Baramati-201	61.61	53.29	4.48	57.48
2.  Rahuri-223	58.59	51.80	0.00	55.31

*As per data uploaded by the PROs themselves in ECINET. Data from 6,345 PS in WB and 6,411 PS in TN yet to be updated

+Data is provisional and it does not include Service Voters & Postal Ballots. Final figures will be shared in Index Cards through ECINET

4.     Chief Election Commissioner Shri Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr.

S.S. Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi kept a close watch on the polling through live webcasting

which was ensured in 100% of the Polling Stations in both the states.

5.     Details of electorate, polling stations, polling staff, candidates and polling agents in the two states are as under:

State	ACs	Electorate				No. of PS	Polling Staff	Candid ates	Polling Agents
		Male(in Crores)	Female(in Crores)	3rdGender	Total(in Crores)
Tamil Nadu	234	2.80	2.93	7,728	5.73	75,064	3,75,320	4,023	4,21,328
West Bengal (Ph-I)	152	1.84	1.76	465	3.60	44,376	2,21,880	1,478	1,54,222
TOTAL	386	4.64	4.69	8,193	9.33	1,19,440	5,97,200	5,501	5,75,550

6.     Presiding Officers updated the polling percentage on ECINET at the close of poll before leaving the polling station as per ECI’s latest instructions resulting in minimal delay in updation of the polling trends.

7.     Several new voter-friendly initiatives such as easily identifiable colour photos of candidates on EVM ballot papers, Mobile Deposit Facility (MDF), newly designed Voter Information Slips (VIS) for easy readability and limit of electors upto 1,200 per polling station were ensured in these elections.

8.     Polling stations were also provided with wheelchairs and volunteers to assist PwD voters. Transport facility was also provided to assist PwD voters in reaching their respective polling stations.

9.     District-wise and AC wise approximate voter turnout figures are available on the ECINET App.