In the first phase of the 2026 Assembly elections, West Bengal achieved a remarkable voter turnout of 92.7%, marking the highest participation rate in the state's history since Independence. Union Home Minister Amit Shah attributed this turnout to a preference for development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting a shift away from the leadership of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Notably, women voters led the turnout with 92.69%, surpassing the 90.92% turnout of male voters. Certain districts, such as Dakshin Dinajpur and Cooch Behar, reported even higher participation rates of 95.22% and 95.17%, respectively. However, the Election Commission clarified that this figure is a phase-wise statistic and does not constitute the all-time highest voter turnout in India, which is generally assessed based on complete election results. Historically, states like Tripura have recorded higher overall turnouts, including 93.6% in the 2013 Assembly elections.