Polling begins in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry; early turnout around 17%
Polling for the 2026 Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry began at 7 am on Thursday, with early voter turnout figures indicating steady participation.
According to data released by the Election Commission of India, voter turnout at 9 am stood at 17.87 per cent in Assam, 16.23 per cent in Kerala, and 17.41 per cent in Puducherry.
The elections are being held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala, and 30 in Puducherry. The counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
Kerala: High Stakes Political Contest
In Kerala, over 2.69 crore voters are eligible to vote across 140 constituencies, deciding the fate of 883 candidates. The electorate includes over 1.38 crore women voters and 1.31 crore men, along with 277 third-gender voters.
Around 4.24 lakh voters fall in the 18–19 age group, while over 2 lakh voters are aged 85 and above. A total of 30,471 polling stations have been set up across the state.
The Left Democratic Front, led by Pinarayi Vijayan, is seeking a third consecutive term, while the United Democratic Front, led by the Congress, is attempting a return to power.
Assam: Large Electorate and Tight Contest
In Assam, more than 2.5 crore voters are eligible to vote in the 126-member Assembly, with 722 candidates in the fray.
The electorate includes over 1.25 crore male voters and 1.25 crore female voters, along with 318 transgender voters and 63,423 service voters. Among them, 6.42 lakh voters are aged 18–19, while over 2.5 lakh voters are above 80 years of age.
To ensure smooth polling, webcasting facilities have been enabled in all 31,490 polling stations. A total of 1.51 lakh polling personnel have been deployed.
The state is witnessing a contest between the ruling National Democratic Alliance, led by the BJP and seeking a third term, and a six-party alliance led by the Congress.
Puducherry: Multi-Cornered Fight
In Puducherry, over 10.14 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes across 30 constituencies. The electorate includes 5.39 lakh women voters, 4.74 lakh men, and 157 third-gender voters.
Around 24,156 voters are in the 18–19 age group, while 6,034 voters are aged 85 and above.
The contest in the Union Territory is between the ruling All India NR Congress-led NDA and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has also entered the fray.
