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Assam registered a record voter turnout of over 85.64 per cent, while Kerala witnessed an impressive polling with more than 78 per cent in the Assembly elections on Thursday, according to the latest Election Commission figures, as the ruling dispensations in the two states eye a third consecutive term in power.
Puducherry, a small union territory located about 165 km from Chennai, and comprising 30 constituencies, saw a new voter turnout record of 89.87 per cent. This was the highest polling percentage so far since 1964 when the first election was held here following the merger of the UT, a former French colony, with India.
Dubbing the high voter turnout as “historic,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Sarma said the result of this “election is already visible—in the hope, pride, and happiness” on the faces of our people. However, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi asserted that the overwhelming turnout was for a “new and greater Assam” and a new leadership at the helm.
“It is now the responsibility of the ECI to ensure the security of EVMs and conduct the counting of votes accurately,” Gogoi added.
Both Sarma and Gogoi are among the 722 candidates contesting from 126 constituencies in these elections. The total number of voters is 2.5 crore. In 2021, Assam recorded 82.04 per cent in the assembly polls.
In Kerala, where competition between the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) has traditionally driven high participation, 883 candidates are contesting from the 140 assembly constituencies. The total number of voters is 2.71 crore and 78.27 per cent of them performed their democratic duty on Thursday.
CPI(M) leader C N Mohanan said an increase in the polling percentage would benefit the LDF because its workers had worked to ensure maximum voter turnout.
BJP Ernakulam district president K S Shaiju said the increase in polling percentage resulted from a higher turnout of women voters, and this would favour the BJP.
Congress leader Deepthi Mary Varghese, however, said the reasons behind the rise in the polling percentage required detailed analysis.”Usually, the trend is that when the polling percentage rises, it turns favourable to the UDF. However, a detailed analysis is required in this matter,” she said.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar expressed confidence that the current voting trend indicates that a turnout of 90 per cent will be achieved.
In the 2021 assembly polls, 74.06 per cent voter turnout was registered in Kerala.
Along with Kerala and Assam, the voting for the 30-member Puducherry assembly was also held on Thursday. It registered a record turnout of 89.87 per cent in the polls, where the opposition Congress-led bloc is pushing to wrest power from the AINRC-led front in the union territory.
While the polls in Kerala will decide whether the LDF secures a rare third consecutive term, the Congress-headed UDF stages a comeback after a decade, or the NDA makes deeper inroads into state’s traditionally bipolar political space, in the high-stakes polls in Assam, there is a close fight between the ruling BJP, which is aiming for a third consecutive term, and the Congress that seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016.
Thursday’s elections are the first leg of the polls in four states and one UT: Kerala and Assam. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, and in Tamil Nadu, the polls will occur in one phase on April 23. Vote counting for all four states and the UT will be on May 4.
The elections are taking place against the backdrop of the West Asia conflict, which has triggered an LPG crisis in the country. This issue was also prominent in the poll campaign, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders assuring a stable supply, while the opposition attacked the Central government over the potential shortage.
While the polling was largely peaceful in Kerala and Puducherry, officials said seven people were held in connection with election-related violence at two places in Assam. Besides, minor clashes also erupted at several polling booths in Assam after voting began in the morning, causing minor injuries, they said.
Several senior leaders, candidates and public figures participated in the voting process in the two state and the UT, including chief ministers—Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala) and Sarma and Malayalam actors—Mammootty and Mohanlal.
In Puducherry, a robot carrying a plate of flower petals welcomed voters at a model polling booth set up at the VOC government higher secondary school in the Raj Bhavan constituency. Moving along the corridor, the robot greeted visitors. — with PTI inputs
April 9, 2026 5:02 pm
Kerala registered a voter turnout of 62 per cent by 3 pm, as polling continued in 140 Assembly constituencies on Thursday. The crucial election will decide whether the ruling LDF will get a straight third term, or if UDF makes a comeback, or if BJP springs a surprise in an otherwise bipolar battle. PTI
April 9, 2026 4:37 pm
A voter turnout of nearly 76 per cent was recorded till 3 pm on Thursday in the Assembly election in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is looking to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago. PTI
April 9, 2026 3:25 pm
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala CEO Rathan U Kelkar on Thursday said that the voting pattern indicates that the target of 90 per cent turnout can be achieved. Chief Electoral Officer Kelkar urged all voters to come and exercise their right. “If the current trend continues, by the time polling concludes, we are confident we will see a turnout of 90 per cent,” he told reporters here. PTI
April 9, 2026 2:32 pm
Guwahati: A voter turnout of 59.63 per cent was recorded till 1 pm on Thursday in the assembly elections in Assam. PTI
April 9, 2026 2:32 pm
Thiruvananthapuram: Brisk voting was witnessed on Thursday to the elections to 140 Assembly segments in Kerala with 50 per cent of the voters casting their votes by 1 pm, the EC said. PTI
April 9, 2026 1:11 pm
Guwahati/Jorhat/Rangia/Kokrajhar: Defying overcast skies and intermittent rains, people across Assam turned out in large numbers on Thursday to vote in the assembly elections, with enthusiasm visible from first-time voters to octogenarians. Heavy showers lashed parts of the state, while light rain was reported from areas including Guwahati since morning. However, the weather failed to dampen the people’s resolve, as long queues were seen outside polling stations across districts such as Jorhat, Kamrup, Kokrajhar and Lakhimpur. PTI
April 9, 2026 1:11 pm
Thrissur: A 62-year-old man collapsed and died after casting his vote at Vaniampara here on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Vinodan, a native of Ramanchira near Vaniampara, police said. According to police, Vinodan had reached EKM UP School in Vaniampara in the morning to cast his vote. After standing in the queue for nearly an hour, he exercised his franchise. While coming out of the polling station, he suddenly collapsed at around 10.45 am, police said. Though people nearby rushed to help seat him on a chair, his condition worsened, police said. An ambulance soon reached the spot and shifted him to a government hospital, where he was declared dead. A case will be registered and investigation initiated into the incident, police said. PTI
April 9, 2026 1:11 pm
Tezpur: A poll official was found dead in Assam’s Sonitpur district on Thursday amid assembly elections in the state, officials said. Deben Hore (45) was deputed as the second polling officer in the Naduar constituency, they said. “Hore was deputed in polling station no 230 in Dolapani LP School. He was found unconscious in his bed this morning. He was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance, but he was pronounced dead by the doctors,” an official said. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed, though doctors suspect an underlying medical condition led to it, he said. PTI
April 9, 2026 12:12 pm
New Delhi: The polling trends in the Union Territory of Puducherry showed a voter turnout of 37.06 per cent. ANI
April 9, 2026 12:12 pm
New Delhi: The voter turnout in Kerala was 33.38 per cent at 11 am on Thursday. ANI
April 9, 2026 12:12 pm
New Delhi: Voter turnout in Assam was recorded at 38.92 per cent, as of 11 am on Thursday. ANI
April 9, 2026 10:51 am
Puducherry: Puducherry registered 17.41 per cent voter turnout by 9 am on Thursday as polling commenced in all 30 assembly constituencies. Key figures, including Lt Governor Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, Home Minister A Namassivayam and Congress leader V Narayanasamy were among the early voters to exercise their franchise. PTI
April 9, 2026 10:36 am
Thiruvananthapuram: Polling in the Kerala Assembly elections saw a turnout of over 16 per cent after the first two hours of voting on Thursday. According to Election Commission (EC) figures, polling till 9 am recorded a turnout of 16.23 per cent with the highest being in Ernakulam district with 17.8 per cent. Constituency-wise, the highest polling percentage till 9 am was seen in Thripunithura with 20.59 per cent, according to EC data. PTI
April 9, 2026 10:13 am
Guwahati: A voter turnout of 17.87 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of the assembly elections in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is striving to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago. Polling began at 7 am for the 126-member assembly, and 17.87 per cent of the state’s 2.5 crore voters exercised their franchise till 9 am, officials said. PTI
April 9, 2026 8:58 am
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the people of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry to exercise their franchise in large numbers in the assembly elections in the two states and the Union Territory. In separate messages in English, besides Assamese, Malayalam and Tamil — the regional languages of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry respectively — PM Modi particularly requested the youth and the women to step forward and vote in large numbers. PTI
April 9, 2026 8:58 am
Guwahati: Polling for all 126 Assam assembly constituencies began on Thursday to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates, officials said. In the high-stakes election, the ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016. Polling, being held in a single phase, began at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. Long queues of voters were seen outside polling stations from early morning. An electorate of 2.50 crore, including 1.25 crore women and 318 from the third gender, can exercise their franchise in 31,490 polling stations across the state. PTI
April 9, 2026 8:58 am
Puducherry: Voting commenced amid tight security across the union territory of Puducherry on Thursday with 9.50 lakh voters set to decide the electoral fortunes of the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc. Voters lined up enthusiastically before the polling stations in Puducherry, and its enclaves of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam to exercise their franchise. Polling began at 7 am. The Union Territory has a total of 9.50 lakh voters spread over Puducherry (23 Assembly segments) Karaikal (five), Mahe and Yanam (having one constituency each). According to officials, the union territory has 1,099 polling stations and of them 209 have been identified as vulnerable and a total of 294 candidates are in the fray. PTI
April 9, 2026 8:58 am
Thiruvananthapuram: Polling in all the 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala commenced at 7 am on Thursday. The voting began after completion of mock polling. People started arriving early in the morning at the 30,495 polling stations in the state to avoid the hot weather that was likely to get worse as the day progressed. Polling was carried out amidst tight security arrangements which included deployment of over 76,000 security personnel and live monitoring of the election process by an extensive webcasting system. Around 2.71 crore voters will decide the fate of the 883 candidates who are contesting from the 140 Assembly constituencies in the state. PTI
