Both Tamil Nadu and West Bengal (first phase) recorded their highest ever voter turnout since Independence in the assembly elections on April 23. Tamil Nadu recorded 84.29 per cent voter turnout while Bengal witnessed 92.35 per cent voters exercising their franchise.
In Tamil Nadu, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) reduced the size of the electorate from 6.41 crore to 5.73. Karur district, which witnessed a tragic stampede last year during actor Vijay's rally, recorded the highest turnout at 91.86 per cent.
Previously, the highest-ever voter turnout in Tamil Nadu was in 2011 when 78.29 per cent poll participation was recorded. According to the election panel, previously, the highest ever turnout in West Bengal was also in 2011, recording 84.72 per cent polling.
What Modi, Mamata and others said
Prime Minister Narendra Modi the high voting figures in West Bengal are indicative of an "overwhelming mandate for change".
"The record-breaking turnout makes me certain that this is going to be an overwhelming mandate in favour of a change which West Bengal's voters have already decided to bring about," the PM said.
He added that the counting day, May 4, would mark the expiry of the TMC's 15-year "maha jungle raj".
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the high voter turnout was because people fear that "if they don't vote, they may lose their voting rights and citizenship". She also asserted that polling held so far in the first phase indicates the TMC is already in a position to win
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari predicted that BJP will win 125 of the 152 seats in Bengal, citing high voter turnout.
However, the Tamil Nadu BJP attributed the surge in turnout to SIR. "The full credit to SIR (Special Intensive Revision of electoral roll). Hats off to the Election Commission of India. We have seen in Bihar, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and now Pondicherry and now in Tamil Nadu. So, full credit to them," BJP leader Narayanan Thirupathy told PTI.
On the other hand, the DMK said the high voter turnout was "accurate reflection" of the electorate after the dead and shifted voters were removed from the rolls.
"Going by established historical trends, the party expects the total number of votes polled in this cycle to reach approximately 5 crore," said DMK spokesperson Saravana Annadurai.
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. Kerala also saw a high voter turnout at 78.27 per cent.