Kolkata: Bengal’s centenarian voters turned out in striking numbers in the two-phase Assembly polls, with 7,268 out of the 7,492 electors aged 100 years or above casting their votes. The centenarian voter turnout was nearly 97%, said additional CEO Arindam Neogi. One of the reasons behind the high percentage of voting among the seniors was the home polling facility, officials said. Those who could not vote were too ill, bedridden or suffered from dementia.Across age groups, the average voter turnout in the two phases of the election was 92.94%.After the SIR exercise, the revised number of 100-plus voters in Bengal stood at 7,492, down sharply from around 13,500 recorded during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Election officials said the drop reflected correction of electoral rolls, with many names of deceased voters not deleted earlier. Among those 7,492 centenarian voters in Bengal, 5,406 were women and 2,086 men, meaning nearly 72% of these oldest electors were female. In the second phase, 3,243 centenarian voters cast their ballots. But Kolkata recorded a low presence. While Kolkata North and Kolkata South constituencies together had only 84 voters in this age group, among whom 61 voted, Kolkata Port had no such voter. An EC official linked the lower count in Kolkata to better maintenance of age records and certificates in urban areas. In rural Bengal, age was often calculated, based on declarations, which might partly explain the higher concentration of centenarians outside the city, he said. Partha Mondal, a geriatric medicine expert, said Kolkata’s lower numbers could also be linked to pollution and sedentary lifestyle, while rural residents benefited from cleaner air, greater physical activity, healthier sleep patterns and stronger social bonds.South 24-Parganas recorded the highest number of 100-plus voters casting ballots at 853, followed by Nadia with 791 and North 24-Parganas 698. In North 24-Parganas, among such voters was 104-year-old Nanibala Debnath from Ashoknagar, who used the home polling facility. She has reportedly never missed voting.At the constituency level, Chakulia in North Dinajpur had the highest concentration of centenarian voters at 154. North Dinajpur district had 557 such voters, of whom 531 cast their votes. In Murshidabad, all 606 centenarian voters exercised their franchise.In West Midnapore, where 338 centenarians voted, three, aged 112 years, cast their ballots at home. Usharani Mal from Narayangarh, keen on voting, appreciated the home voting facility, given her mobility problems. The two other 112-year-olds— Bhuanti Manna from Datan and Srabani Mishra from Pingla — said the home facility made them feel valued.But not all had a smooth experience. Gandhari Jana, a 102-year-old voter from Ghatal, expressed discontent over the SIR process as she was summoned for a hearing because of a mapping problem. Officials later arranged the hearing at her home, considering her age and mobility issues.
