Kolkata/Chennai, April 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are witnessing robust voter turnout on Thursday. The EC polling estimates that till 5 PM, both states are heading towards record voting percentages.​

Till 5 PM, West Bengal recorded 89.93 per cent polling, while in Tamil Nadu it stood at 82.24 per cent – breaching the previous figures in the 2021 elections, which were 82 and 74 per cent, respectively.​

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive, which had stoked intense controversy ahead of elections, seems to have failed to cast a shadow over the electoral exercise; rather, it has pushed voting percentages to unprecedented levels in both states.​

The voting has been brisk in both states since morning. At 3 PM, West Bengal recorded 78.77 per cent polling, while Tamil Nadu recorded 70 per cent, according to EC data.​

In West Bengal, polling began for 152 assembly constituencies at 7 AM, spread across 16 districts, with long queues at polling stations since morning.​

The 16 districts where polling is being held in the first phase on Thursday are Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Malda in North Bengal, and Murshidabad, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, West Burdwan, and Birbhum in South Bengal.​

The second phase of polls in West Bengal for the remaining 142 assembly constituencies will be on April 29. ​​

Polling for the high-stakes Tamil Nadu Assembly elections across all 234 constituencies also began at 7 a.m., with over 5.73 crore eligible voters set to decide the fate of 4,023 candidates in a fiercely contested four-cornered battle.​

The electoral contest primarily features the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), making this one of the most competitive elections in recent years.​

Voting commenced early in the morning, with voters seen queuing up in large numbers at polling booths, reflecting strong public enthusiasm to exercise their democratic right.​

The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, when the electoral verdict will determine the next governments in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.​

–IANS

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