'High turnout definitely due to SIR': Vote-shy Kolkata catches up with West Bengal, almost

KOLKATA: Kolkata, which traditionally registers a low turnout, voted almost on a par with the rest of Bengal on Wednesday. The EC data shows that till 9 pm, Kolkata recorded over 88.4 polling percentage, while the figure was 60.2%, the lowest in Bengal, in the 2021 Assembly elections.

Kolkata South, with four Assembly constituencies of Kolkata Port, Bhowanipore, Rashbehari and Ballygunge, recorded a polling percentage of 87.7 and Kolkata North 89.3. Bhowanipore, the most keenly watched constituency, where CM Mamata Banerjee and leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari contested, recorded 86.6% polling till 9 pm. In 2021, Bhowanipore, which had 2,06,319 electors, had recorded a voter turnout of 61.3%. This time, Bhowanipore's total number of electors dropped to 1,60,313, following SIR.



In 2021, Kolkata North logged 59.4% EVM polled votes and Kolkata South 61.6%. The 11 constituencies under Kolkata North and South electoral districts had 23,94,993 electors in 2021, but this time, the figure dropped to 17,63,345, a slash of 6,31,648 electors. In 2021, 14,42, 480 electors had cast their votes in these 11 constituencies.

According to EC data, Chowringhee in Kolkata North, which faced 87,725 SIR deletions — the highest in the state — saw 86.6% voter turnout till 9 pm. Chowringhee had 2,08,172 electors in 2021 but this time, the figure came down to 1,26,349. In 2021, it had recorded 53.2% voter turnout.

Jorasanko, which saw SIR deletion of 77,993 voters, recorded 86.6% voter turnout till 9 pm, while last Assembly polls saw a 49.8% turnout. The constituency, which had 1,97,931 electors in 2021, now has 1,22,686.

In 2021, the rest five constituencies in Kolkata North district—Entally, Beleghata, Shyampukur, Maniktala and Cossipore-Belgachhia—had recorded voter turnout of 67.6%, 62.7%, 57.8%, 62.6% and 59.6%. Despite significant SIR deletions, Entally, Beleghata, Shyampukur, Maniktala and Cossipore-Belgachhia this time saw 92%, 90.7%, 88%, 90.2% and 88.9% turnout till 9pm .

In Kolkata South, Rashbehari, with 47,000-odd fewer electors than that in 2021, logged 86.5% polling till 9 pm on Wednesday. In 2021, it was 59.7%. Kolkata Port, which saw 78,208 SIR deletions, recorded 89.6% polling till 9 pm with 1,71,615 voters. The last Assembly elections saw the constituency recording 64.4% turnout among 2,35,861 electors.

Ballygunge, with 71,855 SIR deletions, recorded 87.8% polling till 9 pm on Wednesday. In the 2021 elections, Ballygunge recorded 60.7% turnout.

Kasba, Behala East and Behala West constituencies, which are part of Kolkata South Lok Sabha seat, fall under the jurisdiction of DEO, South 24 Parganas. Till 9 pm on Wednesday, Kasba, Behala East and Behala West recorded 89.7%, 88% and 86.7% turnout. At Harimohan Ghosh College at Paharpur in Garden Reach, Nasim Ali and his neighbour, Manwar Ali, stood in the queue from 6.30 am and could vote around 8.45 am.

"We came from Pune to vote. My brother's name has been deleted and I feared mine would be, too, if I did not vote," said Manwar. On Southern Avenue, Sayan Bhattacharya (32) said, "I never voted before as I live in Bangalore. But on reading up on SIR and seeing the harassment, I decided to vote."



Former HoD of political science and sociology at Presidency Prasanta Roy felt besides SIR, anti-incumbency, too, played a role. "The high turnout is definitely due to SIR. But many believe an experiment with the right is a requirement for Bengal," he said. Former Bengal CEO Jawhar Sircar said, "There is an angst over people's names being struck off. Many have voted, who would not have otherwise," he said.
Check AP SSC 10th Result 2026 on TOI