New Delhi, August 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has highlighted a significant rise in voter turnout in states that held Assembly elections after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying participation levels in several states have surpassed those recorded in many major democracies, including countries with compulsory voting.
The poll panel released the figures on Tuesday, days after US President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of electoral processes and called for stronger voter eligibility requirements in the United States.
West Bengal recorded a turnout of 93.70 per cent in the 2026 Assembly election, the highest ever recorded by any state in India, according to the ECI. The figure was higher than turnout levels in more than two dozen countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Japan. The comparison also included at least six countries where voting is mandatory.
The ECI said the number of voters exercising their franchise in West Bengal increased from 76,35,066 in the first election held in independent India in 1951 to 6,40,53,576 in the 2026 Assembly polls. The poll body noted that the increase in participation was significant not merely in absolute numbers but also in percentage terms, with women outnumbering men at several locations.
Puducherry recorded a turnout of 91.19 per cent, also surpassing participation levels in numerous major democracies. Assam and Tamil Nadu followed with turnouts of 86.33 per cent and 86.03 per cent, respectively.
Kerala, which has historically recorded high voter participation, registered 79.53 per cent turnout in 2026. The ECI said this too exceeded participation levels in several democratic countries, including nations with compulsory voting.
The Commission linked the elections in these states to SIR exercises that resulted in the removal of large numbers of names from electoral rolls. The deletions largely involved deceased voters, people who had shifted residence and individuals who failed to establish eligibility for inclusion in the rolls.
In Bihar, where SIR was conducted before the November 2025 Assembly election, nearly 70 lakh names were removed from the electoral rolls. Despite the revision, the election recorded a 67.25 per cent turnout, the highest since the state’s first Assembly election in 1951.
In a fact sheet accompanying graphics released Tuesday, the ECI also detailed safeguards governing India’s electoral process.
The move came after Trump, in a post on Truth Social, renewed his call for the proposed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which seeks documentary proof of US citizenship for registration in federal elections. Trump referred to comments by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar regarding voter identification requirements in US elections.
The ECI said it is an independent constitutional authority responsible for elections to the offices of President and Vice President, as well as the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies and Councils.
According to the Commission, voting in India is based on photo identification, with Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) issued to nearly a billion electors. Electors can also access electronic versions of their EPICs online.
The ECI said electoral rolls are prepared for each of India’s nearly 1.2 million polling booths by Booth Level Officers and state government employees, while Booth Level Agents appointed by political parties provide an additional layer of scrutiny.
Polling agents appointed by candidates monitor voting at polling stations, while counting agents oversee the vote-counting process, the Commission said.
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