At 85.65%%, Assam voter turnout tops 2021; Kerala sees 78.24%

Polling across Assam, Kerala and Puducherry saw strong participation, with Puducherry recording the highest turnout at 89.87%, followed by Assam at 85.65%, surpassing its 2021 figure, and Kerala at 78.24%, slightly above the last polls.

In Short

• Puducherry records highest turnout at89.87 percent among three regions
• Assam sees 85.65 percent turnout, surpassing 2021 Assembly election figures
• Kerala registers 78.24 percent turnout, slightly higher than previous polls

Polling across Assam, Kerala and Puducherry gathered momentum throughout the day on Thursday, with voter turnout figures indicating strong participation by 6 pm.

Puducherry recorded the highest turnout at 89.08 per cent, followed by Assam at 85.65 per cent, while Kerala registered 78.24 per cent, according to official data.

In Assam, an estimated 85.65 per cent voter turnout was recorded by 6 pm across all 126 Assembly constituencies, surpassing the 82.04 per cent polling recorded in the 2021 elections, officials said. The state is witnessing a high-stakes contest, with the BJP-led NDA seeking a third consecutive term, while the Congress aims to regain power after a decade.

Among constituencies, Dalgaon reported the highest turnout at 94.57 per cent, while Amri recorded the lowest at 70.40 per cent. A total of 722 candidates are in the fray in this single-phase election. Voting was conducted at 31,490 polling stations spread across 35 districts, beginning at 7 am and continuing till 6 pm.

In Kerala, voting for all 140 Assembly seats concluded at 6 pm, with voters still queueing up at several polling stations. Those present at the polling stations at the deadline were issued tokens and allowed to cast their votes.

By 6 pm, the state had recorded a turnout of 78.24 per cent, slightly higher than the 74.06 per cent polling in the 2021 Assembly elections. Final turnout figures are expected after all voters in queues complete voting.

In the Union Territory of Puducherry, polling for 30 Assembly constituencies also concluded at 6 pm. Voters who reached polling stations before the deadline were permitted to wait in queues and cast their ballots.

Initial estimates indicate that the turnout crossed 89.87 per cent. The NDA is aiming to retain power in the Union Territory, while the Congress-led opposition bloc is attempting to unseat the AINRC-led front, focusing its campaign on issues of local autonomy and administrative friction.

- Ends