Kerala Election 2026 LIVE Updates: Polling to elect 140 Assembly members underway, over 33 per cent voter turnout till 11 am

Kerala Assembly Election 2026 Polling Percentage, Voter Turnout Live Updates: Voting is underway across all 140 Assembly seats with over 2.7 crore voters set to decide the fate of LDF, UDF and NDA in a high-stakes contest. Early trends show steady voter turnout as polling progresses across districts. Stay tuned for live updates on polling percentage, key constituencies.

Kerala Assembly Election 2026 Live Updates: Kerala will go to polls on April 9 for all its 140 constituencies with 883 candidates contesting. Voting will take place in a single phase across the state. Polling will begin at 7.00 am and conclude at 6.00 pm. The counting of votes will be held on May 4, 2026.

Assam Election Voting 2026 LIVE: Follow Latest Updates Here

Campaigning and voting: Campaigning ended with the mandatory silence period coming into effect on April 8, following the ‘kalashakottu’- the grand campaign finale held on Tuesday, April 7.

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Kerala’s political landscape: Kerala is used to a political rivalry between the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). However, the 2026 Assembly election has also seen the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerge as a key player in its political landscape.

The CPI (M), led by Pinarayi Vijayan, aims to retain power for a third consecutive term, while the UDF seeks to return to power. Meanwhile, the BJP-led NDA is looking to seize a critical opportunity to expand its presence in Kerala politics.

Party promises and manifestoes

Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF): The UDF has introduced the “Indira guarantees” that include free bus rides for women, Rs 1,000 monthly assistance for women college students, Oomen Chandy health insurance scheme, youth start up loans, and a hike in welfare pension to Rs 3,000.

CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF): The LDF has highlighted its decade-long accomplishments for the 2026 elections, focussing on poverty elimination, student support, women’s employment, tourism development, and public sector expansion.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): The BJP has promised food security cards for below poverty line (BPL) families, an AIIMS campus, free LPG cylinders for the poor during Onam and Christmas, and an increase in welfare pension to Rs 3,000.

Live Updates
Apr 9, 2026 01:00 PM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Over 33 per cent voter turnout recorded till 11 am

A 33 per cent voter turnout was witnessed in the first four hours of polling in Kerala Assembly elections on Thursday, officials said.

Apr 9, 2026 12:46 PM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: ISRO chairman V Narayanan casts vote

ISRO chairman V Narayanan casts vote at Salvation Army Public School in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Apr 9, 2026 12:41 PM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Man dies after casting vote in Kerala's 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.

(PTI)

Apr 9, 2026 12:30 PM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says Kerala want to vote for a change

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, says, "I would say that if you are going to look at the turnout on the whole by the end of the day, it may even surpass previous level ever established. That's because people of Kerala want to vote for a change."

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Apr 9, 2026 11:49 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Cong candidate Chandy Oommen casts vote wearing black in symbolic protest

Congress candidate Chandy Oommen, son of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, wore black attire as a mark of protest while arriving to cast his vote along with his family in the crucial Assembly election at Puthuppally on Thursday.

At around 10.30 am, Oommen, accompanied by his mother and sister, reached the polling station.

This is the first Assembly election being held after the death of Oommen Chandy in 2023.

Chandy Oommen, who had won the Puthuppally by-election, is now seeking to retain the UDF stronghold in a crucial contest involving the UDF, LDF and NDA.

(PTI)

Apr 9, 2026 11:44 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Actor Mammotty and his wife Sulfath Kutty cast their vote

Actor Mammotty and his wife Sulfath Kutty cast their vote at Christ King Convent in Kochi.

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Apr 9, 2026 11:21 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Governor Rajendra Arlekar casts his vote in Thrissur

Governor Rajendra Arlekar casts his vote in Thrissur, says, "I have just completed by sacred duty. I have voted for the first time in the assembly elections of our state and hoping that always good persons will be getting elected. The government which we want will be coming there, no doubt about that. I am very happy that I have voted and I request all the people in the state that come out in large number and do their sacred duty."

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Apr 9, 2026 11:11 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Former Defence Minister A K Antony casts vote

Former Defence Minister A K Antony arrives to cast his vote at Jagathy School in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Apr 9, 2026 10:18 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Over 16 per cent voter turnout recorded till 9 am

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)

Apr 9, 2026 09:59 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: 36-year-old dwarf voter brings his own stool to cast vote

A 36-year-old dwarf voter brought his own stool to cast his vote at Government Lower Primary School, Cotton Hill, in Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram.

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Apr 9, 2026 09:38 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan casts his vote

Former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan casts his vote at Eanchakkal LP School in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Apr 9, 2026 08:49 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Congress MP KC Venugopal casts his vote

Congress MP KC Venugopal casts his vote at Higher Secondary School, Thiruvampady.

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Apr 9, 2026 08:19 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: CM Pinarayi Vijayan casts his vote

CM Pinarayi Vijayan casts his vote at Dharmadom, Kannur.

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Apr 9, 2026 08:01 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Actor Mohanlal casts his vote in Thiruvananthapuram

Actor Mohanlal stands in line to cast his vote at Government LP School, Mudavanmugal, in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Apr 9, 2026 07:58 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Voters queue up to cast votes

Voters queuing up at a polling station in Aroor in Alappuzha district of Kerala.

Apr 9, 2026 07:54 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Kerala LoP V. D. Satheesan says strong voter turnout expected

Kerala LoP V. D. Satheesan said there is a clear trend of long queues across the state, indicating high voter turnout, and stressed that politically aware voters understand the stakes.

He said, "Everywhere there is a trend. Everywhere across the state there are large queues, that is my information. Voting percentage will be high. It is a political fight, and people are aware what is happening. People of Kerala are very much politically aware."

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Apr 9, 2026 07:42 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar casts vote

Kerala BJP chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the 2026 Assembly elections are crucial and expressed confidence that people will vote for a better future after casting his vote.

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Apr 9, 2026 07:32 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: PM Modi calls on voters to participate in the Assembly Elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X called upon the people of Kerala to vote in large numbers in the 2026 Assembly elections, saying record participation would strengthen the state’s democratic spirit.

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Apr 9, 2026 07:25 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates:

Here are the key candidates in the major battleground constituencies of the Kerala Assembly Elections 2026:

Nemom

V. Sivankutty (LDF)

Rajeev Chandrasekhar (NDA)

K. S. Sabarinadhan (UDF)

Thrissur

Alankode Leelakrishnan (LDF)

Rajan Pallan (UDF)

Padmaja Venugopal (NDA)

Palakkad

N. M. R. Razak (LDF-backed Independent)

Ramesh Pisharody (UDF)

Shobha Surendran (NDA)

Manjeswaram

A. K. M. Ashraf (UDF)

K. Surendran (NDA)

K. R. Jayananda (LDF)

Vattiyoorkavu

V. K. Prasanth (LDF)

K. Muraleedharan (UDF)

R. Sreelekha (NDA)

Apr 9, 2026 07:13 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Chief Electoral Officer's control room monitors voting process

Visuals from Chief Electoral Officer's state-level control room in Thiruvananthapuram.

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Apr 9, 2026 07:09 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Check out the key constituencies in Kerala

The Kerala Assembly Elections 2026 have shaped up to be a tightly contested battle right till the last day of campaigning. While all 140 seats matter, key battlegrounds such as Nemom, Thrissur, Palakkad, Manjeswaram, and Vattiyoorkavu stand out due to close margins previously and intense three-way contests between the LDF, UDF, and NDA.

Apr 9, 2026 07:05 AM IST
Kerala Polls 2026 Live Updates: Voting to elect 140 members begins

Voting in Kerala begins to elect 140 members for the Assembly elections.

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