Guwahati: Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry saw active voter participation on Thursday, 9 April, with security deployed across polling areas.
By the afternoon, Assam reported one of the highest participation levels, with 75.91 per cent of voters casting their ballots by 3 pm. Kerala saw 62.71 per cent participation during the same period, while Puducherry recorded 72.40 per cent turnout earlier in the day by 1 pm, according to official figures.
Officials in Kerala indicated that the final turnout could be significantly higher. Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar said the trend so far points towards a strong finish, with participation possibly nearing the 90 per cent mark by the close of voting.
The voting process started early in the morning and will continue till evening across all three regions. Authorities maintained heightened vigilance due to the importance of the elections, with vote counting scheduled for May 4.
The state is witnessing a closely fought contest for 140 assembly seats, with 883 candidates in the fray. Around 2.71 crore registered voters are eligible to take part in deciding the outcome. The main political battle is among the Left Democratic Front, the Congress-led United Democratic Front and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
In Assam, all 126 constituencies are going to polls, involving over 2.50 crore voters. A total of 722 candidates are contesting. The ruling BJP-led alliance is aiming to retain power for another term, while the opposition bloc includes Congress along with parties like Raijor Dal and CPI(M).
Polling is also underway in Puducherry for its 30-member assembly, with more than 10 lakh voters eligible to cast their votes.
Separate by-elections are also being conducted in a few constituencies. In Nagaland, voting is underway in the Koridang seat in Mokokchung district following the demise of sitting MLA Imkong L. Imchen last year.
In Karnataka, voters are casting their ballots in Bagalkot and Davanagere South after the deaths of senior Congress leaders H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Tripura’s Dharmanagar constituency is also witnessing a by-election following the passing of BJP leader and Assembly Speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen in December 2025.
In Assam, voting has already wrapped up in certain areas such as Kamrup, where election officials secured the voting machines after polling ended. Officials said the process was carried out without major disruptions.