In the first phase of voting West Bengal saw a massive 93 pc of voting. 10.5 percentage points higher than 2021. That is a statement in favour of the world’s largest democracy.
But it is also not the full story. The 2026 election has been mired in controversy over the Election Commission-ordered Special Intensive Revision of the voter roll, an exercise meant to cut deceased, duplicate, and illegal voters, as well as those who no longer live in the state. The second phase of voting will be on 29 April. Counting will be on May 4.
