Polling officials seal the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) andVoter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units after voting in the Assam Assembly elections, in Tamulpur, on Thursday, April 9. PTI
Assembly elections LIVE: Assam, Kerala and Puducherry see high turnout
Puducherry tops with over 89.87 turnout, followed by Assam at 85.58 per cent and Kerala at 78.20%, as per the Election Commission's latest data
Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry voted in a single phase to elect their respective Assembly members from 7 am to 5 pm today (April 9). The results will be declared on May 4, along with Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, which are scheduled to be held later this month.
Assam, where the BJP seeks a third consecutive term, voted in 126 seats.
In the 140-constituency Kerala Assembly, the contest is three-way (at least in some constituencies), between the CPI(M)-led LDF, the Congress-led UDF, and the BJP-led NDA. The Left is seeking a hat-trick in Kerala.
In the 30-seat Puducherry assembly, the AINRC-led coalition under CM N Rangasamy, backed by BJP, is looking for a successive term.
Bypolls in four seats, one gets scrapped
Bypolls are also being held during the day in Karnataka (two seats), Nagaland (one), and Tripura (one). The Bombay High Court cancelled the Ponda by-election in Goa on the eve of the voting, stating that it was not required as the remaining term of the Goa Assembly is less than a year. Goa heads to the Assembly polls in early 2027.
Also read:
Kerala polls: Ear to the ground says UDF-LDF race is too close to call
'Outsider' influx row rocks Assam polls: Opposition warns of 'Bihar-style vote chori'
Assam election saw industrial-scale AI disinformation campaign: Report
In buses arranged by parties, voters in Bengaluru head to Kerala in hordes
A defeat won't break Left in Kerala, but it could shatter Congress
Follow LIVE updates below:
Live Updates
- 9 April 2026 4:05 PM IST
Kerala, Assam, Puducherry see brisk voting amid tight security
Polling in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry progressed without major disruption on Thursday, with tight security in place across sensitive areas. Turnout figures released by the Election Commission of India showed strong participation through the day. By 3 pm, Assam had recorded 75.91 per cent voting, while Kerala stood at 62.71 per cent. Puducherry reported 72.40 per cent turnout by 1 pm.
Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer, Rathan U Kelkar, indicated that participation could climb significantly by the close of polling. Citing early trends, he said officials were optimistic the state might approach 90 per cent turnout if the pace holds.
Voting began at 7 am across all three regions and is scheduled to continue until 6 pm. Authorities increased deployment of security personnel given the significance of the elections. Counting of votes is set for May 4.
9 April 2026 3:49 PM ISTKerala polls see film stars vote, rally public participation
Film stars turned up early across Kerala on Thursday as voting began for the high-stakes 2026 Assembly elections, adding a touch of celebrity to a tightly fought contest. Several actors are also in the fray this time, including Ramesh Pisharody, Anjali Nair and Major Ravi.
Veteran actor Mohanlal cast his vote in Thiruvananthapuram after briefly interacting with rival candidates, later posting: “Done my part. Your turn, Keralam go vote.” Crowds gathered in Kochi as Mammootty arrived with his family, urging people to treat voting as a rare civic chance.
Prithviraj Sukumaran, Ahaana Krishnakumar and Asif Ali were among others who voted, with many highlighting awareness among younger voters.
Actor-MLA Mukesh described elections as more gripping than cinema, while Jagadish pointed to an unpredictable race. Actors, including Kunchacko Boban and Tovino Thomas, stressed governance and democratic duty over political sides.
- 9 April 2026 2:20 PM IST
Assam polls: BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary seeks action over polling day violence
Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mohilary has sought strict action against those responsible for reported violence in Tamulpur on polling day.
- 9 April 2026 2:16 PM IST
Kerala polls peaceful, turnout crosses 40 per cent: CEO Kelkar
State Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U. Kelkar said that polling in Kerala had been peaceful and progressive, with voter turnout crossing around 40% so far. He expressed hope that the state would record an impressive turnout, noting strong participation, including a significant number of first-time voters from the 4.6 lakh newly registered electors.
- 9 April 2026 2:11 PM IST
Seven arrested in election-related violence in Assam: Police
Seven people were held in connection with election-related violence at two places in Assam, officials said on Thursday.
Besides, minor clashes also erupted at several polling booths after voting began in the morning, with people suffering minor injuries, they said.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Akhilesh Kumar Singh, told PTI that violence took place in Tamulpur and Sivasagar on Wednesday night, hours before polling began for the assembly elections at 7 am.
"We got reports of a clash between two groups at Tamulpur last night. Police reached the spot immediately and tried to control the crowd. When they did not listen, a few rounds were fired in the air to disperse the mob," he said, adding that four people were arrested from the site.
In another incident, two to three members of a political party were attacked in Sivasagar, the IG said.
"We have detained three persons there. The investigation is going on," he said.
Akhil Gogoi, who is seeking re-election from the Sibsagar seat, alleged that BJP nominee Kushal Dowari was behind the incident.
In a series of social media posts, Gogoi claimed two people were injured, and their vehicles were also damaged in the attack.
- 9 April 2026 1:53 PM IST
Kerala polling trend at 1 pm
Overall turnout: 49.70%
District-wise turnout:
Alappuzha – 49.77%
Ernakulam – 52.94%
Idukki – 49.56%
Kannur – 48.50%
Kasaragod – 47.61%
Kollam – 48.90%
Kottayam – 49.22%
Kozhikode – 50.10%
Malappuram – 48.31%
Palakkad – 51.27%
Pathanamthitta – 48.35%
Thiruvananthapuram – 49.34%
Thrissur – 50.48%
Wayanad – 49.32%
- 9 April 2026 12:45 PM IST
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.
Though people nearby rushed to help seat him on a chair, his condition worsened, police said.
An ambulance soon reached the spot and shifted him to a government hospital, where he was declared dead.
A case will be registered and investigation initiated into the incident, police said.
- 9 April 2026 12:45 PM IST
Poll official found dead in Assam amid assembly elections
A poll official was found dead in Assam's Sonitpur district on Thursday amid assembly elections in the state.
Deben Horo (45) was deputed as the second polling officer in the Naduar constituency.
"Hore was deputed in polling station no 230 in Dolapani LP School. He was found unconscious in his bed this morning. He was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance, but he was pronounced dead by the doctors," an official said.
The cause of death is yet to be confirmed, though doctors suspect an underlying medical condition led to it, he said.
Hore hailed from Dopdopi Kachari Gaon in the Chariduar revenue circle. He was an assistant teacher at a government school, officials said.
The incident did not affect polling, which began at the booth at the scheduled time of 7 am. A reserve personnel was deputed in Hore's place, they said.
