Polling for the 2026 Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry progressed steadily on Thursday, with voter turnout registering strong figures by the evening.
According to data released by the Election Commission of India, turnout at 5 p.m. stood at 84.42% in Assam, 75.01% in Kerala, and 86.92% in Puducherry.
In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma cast his vote at a polling station in Jalukbari, the constituency he represents and is contesting from as a candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). He was accompanied by his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, and their children. Earlier, he offered prayers at the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati.
Jalukbari has remained Sarma’s stronghold for nearly 25 years. He has represented the constituency since 2001, when he defeated Asom Gana Parishad leader Bhrigu Kumar Phukan.
Meanwhile, bypolls in select Assembly constituencies recorded moderate turnout. As of 5 p.m., Bagalkot in Karnataka reported 65.68% polling, Davanagere South 63.04%, Koridang in Nagaland 80.62%, and Dharmanagar in Tripura 79.84%.
Polling is being held for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala, and 30 in Puducherry. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
Kerala
In Kerala, over 2.69 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes across 140 constituencies, deciding the fate of 883 candidates. The electorate includes more than 1.38 crore women and 1.31 crore men, along with 277 third-gender voters.
Nearly 4.24 lakh voters are 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 Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is seeking a third consecutive term, while the United Democratic Front, led by the Congress, is attempting a return to power.
Assam
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 comprises 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 more than 2.5 lakh are above 80 years.
Webcasting facilities have been enabled at all 31,490 polling stations to strengthen monitoring. A total of 1.51 lakh polling personnel have been deployed.
The contest is primarily between the National Democratic Alliance, led by the BJP and seeking a third consecutive term, and a six-party alliance led by the Congress.
Puducherry
In Puducherry, over 10.14 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes across 30 constituencies. The electorate includes 5.39 lakh women, 4.74 lakh men, and 157 third-gender voters.
Around 24,156 voters are in the 18–19 age group, while 6,034 are aged 85 and above.
The contest in the Union Territory is between the All India NR Congress-led NDA and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor-turned-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam has also fielded candidates.
