The Election Commission of India (ECI) said polling across Assam, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry concluded largely without incident on Thursday, with Puducherry recording its highest-ever voter turnout in an Assembly election at 89.83%. Assam also posted a new peak at 85.38%, while Kerala saw participation of approximately 78.03%, according to provisional data released by the poll panel.
High turnout and peaceful voting
The three regions went to the polls for a total of 296 Assembly constituencies, representing a combined electorate of over 5.31 crore voters. The ECI said voting began at 7 a.m. and remained largely peaceful, with only a few minor incidents reported. To manage the exercise, authorities set up more than 63,000 polling stations and deployed in excess of 2.5 lakh polling staff.
For the first time in these elections, the commission arranged live webcasting for 100% of polling stations, enabling remote monitoring of polling-room activity. The poll panel's top leadership, including Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Dr S.S. Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, closely followed the process, the ECI said.
Transparency and preparatory checks
As part of preparations, mock polls were conducted ahead of voting in the presence of polling agents to verify the integrity of machines and procedures. The ECI reported that over 1.8 lakh polling agents representing 1,899 candidates attended these dry runs to ensure transparency prior to the formal polling day.
New voter-centric initiatives
Polling authorities introduced several measures to make voting more accessible and to improve voter information. Notable initiatives cited by the ECI included:
- Displaying colour photographs of candidates on the EVM ballot unit to aid voter recognition;
- Redesigned Voter Information Slips for better legibility;
- Deployment of Mobile Deposit Facilities at polling stations;
- Special arrangements for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) including wheelchairs, volunteer assistance and transportation to booths;
- A cap on the number of electors per polling station at 1,200 to reduce crowding and queuing time.
By-elections and regional participation
Alongside the main Assembly polls, by-elections were held in four Assembly seats across Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura. Turnout in these contests varied: the ECI reported figures of roughly 68% in some Karnataka constituencies, more than 82% in Nagaland and around 80% in Tripura.
Local election officials said the combination of administrative planning, technology-enabled monitoring and voter-support measures contributed to smooth conduct across diverse geographies. The live webcasting arrangement and pre-poll mock checks were highlighted as key elements that helped maintain procedural confidence at polling venues.
Table: Key turnout figures (provisional)
| State / UT | Provisional turnout | Previous peak |
|---|---|---|
| Puducherry | 89.83% | 86.19% (2011) |
| Assam | 85.38% | 84.67% (2016) |
| Kerala | 78.03% | — |
Election administrators noted that the deployment of thousands of polling staff and the stringent limit on voters per station were intended to smooth logistical pressures and cut down on long queues. Observers pointed to the combined effect of administrative measures and voter enthusiasm as reasons for the strong turnouts, particularly in the Union Territory of Puducherry and Assam.
The ECI said it would continue to monitor counting arrangements and any post-poll developments through its dedicated teams. Final, validated turnout figures and detailed reports on any incidents will be published after completion of tabulation and verification processes.
