Nearly 68 million voters participated in elections for 294 constituencies in West Bengal, where the first phase recorded a remarkable 92.25 percent turnout.
Likewise, around 57 million voters cast ballots in Tamil Nadu, with women accounting for more than half of the electorate and overall turnout reaching 85 percent.
However, the controversial removal of 9.1 million voters from West Bengal’s electoral rolls raised questions about the credibility of the electoral process.
At the same time, the growing use of welfare schemes as campaign tools by political parties emerged as a significant factor shaping electoral politics in India.
