West Bengal recorded its highest ever turnout during the first phase of the 2026 Assembly election on Thursday. More than 91% of the electorate had cast its ballot as of 7.30 pm, showed the Election Commission’s (EC) provisional data.The final figure, which the EC will release later, will likely be even higher. So why did West Bengal vote in such large numbers?The West Bengal elections were held after the EC’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise cut a total of 91 lakh names from the state’s rolls beginning October last year.Overall, West Bengal’s electorate was trimmed by 11.63%.Out of those deletions, 58 lakh were cut in the draft stage, with the EC saying those electors had either died, shifted, were enrolled in multiple places or were absent during the enumeration phase of the SIR in November and December last year.With the denominator being reduced, the turnout was expected to be higher this time.Last time, West Bengal recorded a turnout of 81.56%. The previous voting record was in 2011 — 84.33% — when the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won for the first time.Bengal’s experience with the processThe EC had not conducted an intensive revision since the early 2000s, when the electoral rolls were digitised.Story continues below this adThe SIR broke from the EC norm of making additions and deletions to existing electoral rolls through annual and pre-election Special Summary Revisions (SSR).Also Read | 84.6%: When Tamil Nadu broke previous polling highsThe poll panel has conducted the SIR exercise in 10 states (including Bengal) and three Union Territories (UTs) so far. This has led to the cumulative deletion of 5.58 crore names.While all states where the SIR has been conducted and elections held have seen a higher turnout than last time, West Bengal’s experience with SIR was different.Story continues below this adIn its case, the EC — sometimes on the Supreme Court’s orders — rolled out a series of unprecedented steps that were unique to the state.This included the deployment of micro-observers, judicial officers and now appellate tribunals to decide on eligibility of electors.As a result, 27.10 lakh electors who had submitted documents were deleted from the rolls. On the orders of the Supreme Court, 19 appellate tribunals were set up in March to hear appeals against these deletions. Of the more than 27 deleted lakh names, only 139 had been added back to the rolls by the tribunals as on Wednesday.Also Read | West Bengal polls: As TMC levels ‘secret meeting’ charge, who are police observers?Story continues below this adThe TMC and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have opposed the SIR ever since it was announced by the EC in June last year. Banerjee is also among the petitioners against the SIR in the Supreme Court. She had likened the process to the National Register of Citizens exercise.The TMC repeatedly raised this issue during the election campaign. The BJP countered it by saying that the TMC government had been protecting infiltrators who were now being removed from the rolls.As polls closed on Thursday, the TMC attempted to frame the turnout as an expression of opposition to the SIR “conspiracy”.It said in a statement: “Despite the Election Commission deleting 91 lakh names through SIR, Bengal has delivered a record voter turnout. Why? Because the people of Bengal know this could be their last real chance to secure their future. They see the NRC and delimitation threat staring them in the face, and they have voted with full force to smash every future conspiracy of BJP.”Damini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... 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