India's democratic process witnessed a remarkable turnout during the Phase 1 polling, with West Bengal achieving a record 91.78% voter participation and Tamil Nadu following closely at 84.69%. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar expressed admiration for the voters' engagement, emphasizing the turnout as a testament to democratic values. In Tamil Nadu, approximately 4.84 crore voters participated out of an electorate of 5.73 crore across 234 constituencies. District-wise, Karur topped the turnout list at 91.97%, while Kanyakumari had the lowest at 75.50%. The polling process saw a surge in participation in the morning, though a decrease was noted during the peak heat hours between 1 pm and 3 pm. However, voter turnout rebounded after 3 pm, and officials ensured that all eligible voters in line were able to cast their votes by extending polling hours.