The Aryavarth Express New Delhi, April 9: Assembly election across Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry witnessed strong voter participation on Thursday, with long queues seen at polling stations in several regions.
According to the Election Commission, Assam recorded the highest turnout at 75.91% as of 4:30 pm. Puducherry followed with 72.40%, while Kerala reported a turnout of 62.71%.
Polling is being conducted for 126 seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala, and 30 in Puducherry. Vote counting is scheduled for May 4.
In Kerala, Ernakulam district registered the highest turnout at 66%, while Pathanamthitta recorded the lowest at 59.25%. All other districts crossed the 60% mark.
In Assam, South Salmara Mankachar saw the highest polling at 84.24%, whereas Kamrup (Metro) recorded the lowest at 65.30%.
Kerala has over 2.69 crore registered voters, including 1.38 crore women and 1.31 crore men, along with 277 third-gender voters. Over 30,000 polling stations were set up across the state.
Assam has more than 2.5 crore eligible voters, with 722 candidates contesting. The electorate includes nearly equal numbers of male and female voters, along with 318 transgender voters and over 63,000 service voters.
To ensure smooth polling, authorities deployed over 1.5 lakh personnel and enabled webcasting at all polling stations. Electronic voting machines, including ballot units, control units, and VVPATs, were arranged with reserves for contingencies.
In Puducherry, over 10 lakh voters are eligible to vote, including more than 5.39 lakh women and 157 third-gender voters.
Overall, the elections have seen enthusiastic participation, reflecting strong voter engagement across all three regions.
