The second and final phase of voting in the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 wraps up on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Once this phase concludes, the fate of all candidates across four states and one Union Territory will be sealed inside EVMs. This last phase in West Bengal is considered highly significant as it marks the end of the entire election process. Voting is underway across 142 seats in Phase 2. The political atmosphere across the state is intense, with campaign activity running at a fever pitch in every district. A fierce contest is playing out between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party, with both parties making last-minute appeals to voters to turn out in maximum numbers.
All eyes across the country are now fixed on 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, Phase 1 saw a record turnout of 93.2 percent in West Bengal. Tamil Nadu recorded 85.1 percent voting. In Assam, polling across all 126 seats has been completed with 85.5 percent turnout. Kerala saw voting on 140 seats, with turnout estimated between 75 and 78 percent. Puducherry registered 89.87 percent voting — the highest ever recorded there. Vote counting for all these states and the Union Territory is scheduled for May 4, after which the results will be declared.
So what exactly is an exit poll? In simple terms, it’s a type of survey. After voters step out of the polling booth, they are asked who they voted for. The purpose is to gauge which way the public is leaning, so that an estimate can be made before the official results come in. Various survey agencies and media organizations station their representatives at select polling stations for this exercise. As soon as a voter exits, they’re asked a few questions. The responses are then compiled and analyzed based on the data collected. Through this process, projections are made about how many votes each party might receive and how many seats they could win.