The second and final phase of voting in the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 will be completed on Wednesday (April 29, 2026). Once this phase concludes, the fate of all candidates across 4 states and one union territory will be sealed inside EVMs. This last phase in West Bengal is considered extremely significant as it marks the end of the entire election process. Voting is being held on 142 seats in this second phase. The political atmosphere across the state is intensely charged, with heightened activity in all districts. A tough contest is being witnessed between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Both parties are making last-minute appeals to voters to turn out in maximum numbers.
The nation’s attention is fixed on the exit polls. As per Election Commission rules, exit poll results can only be released after 6:30 PM on Wednesday (April 29, 2026). They cannot be made public before that. According to Election Commission data, the first phase saw a record 93.2 percent voter turnout in West Bengal. Tamil Nadu recorded 85.1 percent voting. In Assam, voting on all 126 seats has been completed with 85.5 percent turnout. Kerala saw voting on 140 seats with turnout recorded between 75 to 78 percent. Puducherry witnessed 89.87 percent voting, which is the highest turnout percentage ever recorded there. Vote counting for all these states and the union territory will take place on May 4, after which the results will be declared.
What is an exit poll? Explained simply, it is essentially a survey. After casting their votes, when people come out of the polling booth, they are asked whom they voted for. The purpose is to understand which way public sentiment is leaning, so that an estimate can be made before the official results. In this process, various survey agencies and media organizations station their people at select polling stations. As soon as a voter steps out, they are asked certain questions. These responses are then compiled and analyzed based on the data. Through this, an estimate is drawn about how many votes each party might receive and how many seats they could win.