Guwahati/Thiruvananthapuram/Puducherry: Voting for the Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry ended peacefully on Thursday, setting the stage for a closely watched electoral contest across three key regions.In Assam, an estimated 84.42 per cent voter turnout was recorded as polling ended at 5 pm on Thursday in all 126 assembly constituencies of Assam, surpassing the previous 82.04 per cent voting in the 2021 elections, officials said.The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power in Assam, while the Congress is striving to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago.Dalgaon recorded the highest voting at 94.57 per cent, while the lowest turnout was in Amri at 70.40 per cent, they said.A total of 722 candidates are in the fray in this single-phase election, which is largely witnessing a direct contest between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the opposition bloc helmed by the Congress.Votes were cast at 31,490 polling stations across 35 districts of the state, with polling commencing at 7 am and continuing till 5 pm, the officials said.In Kerala, voting for the 140 Assembly seats concluded at 6 pm, with people still standing in queues outside many polling stations.Those present at the polling stations at 6 pm were given tokens and would be allowed to vote.Till 5 pm, a turnout of 75.01 per cent was recorded, slightly higher than that of the 2021 Assembly polls which saw a polling percentage of 74.06 per cent.Final turnout will be available only after people left at the polling stations cast their ballot.In Puducherry, voting for the 30 Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory of Puducherry concluded at 6 pm on Thursday while people who arrived before the deadline were allowed to wait in queues and cast their votes, officials said.According to CEO, Puducherry registered record polling percentage of 89.87 per cent, highest since 1964, when first polls were held.As the NDA is fighting to retain power, the opposition Congress-led bloc is pushing to wrest power from the AINRC-led front in the Union Territory, centering its campaign on local autonomy and administrative friction.Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, and West Bengal on April 23 and 29.Votes will be counted on May 4. (With inputs from agencies)Kerala records 62 per cent voter turnout by 3 pmApril 9, 2026 5:02 pmKerala registered a voter turnout of 62 per cent by 3 pm, as polling continued in 140 Assembly constituencies on Thursday. The crucial election will decide whether the ruling LDF will get a straight third term, or if UDF makes a comeback, or if BJP springs a surprise in an otherwise bipolar battle. PTIAssam records 76 per cent voter turnout till 3 pmApril 9, 2026 4:37 pmA voter turnout of nearly 76 per cent was recorded till 3 pm on Thursday in the Assembly election in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is looking to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago. PTIVoting trend indicates turnout will reach 90 per cent: Kerala CEOApril 9, 2026 3:25 pmThiruvananthapuram: Kerala CEO Rathan U Kelkar on Thursday said that the voting pattern indicates that the target of 90 per cent turnout can be achieved. Chief Electoral Officer Kelkar urged all voters to come and exercise their right. “If the current trend continues, by the time polling concludes, we are confident we will see a turnout of 90 per cent,” he told reporters here. PTIAssam records nearly 60 pc turnout till 1 pm in assembly pollsApril 9, 2026 2:32 pmGuwahati: A voter turnout of 59.63 per cent was recorded till 1 pm on Thursday in the assembly elections in Assam. PTIKerala polls: Nearly 50 per cent voter turnout recorded by 1 pmApril 9, 2026 2:32 pmThiruvananthapuram: Brisk voting was witnessed on Thursday to the elections to 140 Assembly segments in Kerala with 50 per cent of the voters casting their votes by 1 pm, the EC said. PTIRains, overcast skies fail to dampen voters’ spirit in AssamApril 9, 2026 1:11 pmGuwahati/Jorhat/Rangia/Kokrajhar: Defying overcast skies and intermittent rains, people across Assam turned out in large numbers on Thursday to vote in the assembly elections, with enthusiasm visible from first-time voters to octogenarians. Heavy showers lashed parts of the state, while light rain was reported from areas including Guwahati since morning. However, the weather failed to dampen the people’s resolve, as long queues were seen outside polling stations across districts such as Jorhat, Kamrup, Kokrajhar and Lakhimpur. PTIMan dies after casting vote in Kerala’s ThrissurApril 9, 2026 1:11 pmThrissur: 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. PTIPoll official found dead in Assam amid assembly electionsApril 9, 2026 1:11 pmTezpur: A poll official was found dead in Assam’s Sonitpur district on Thursday amid assembly elections in the state, officials said. Deben Hore (45) was deputed as the second polling officer in the Naduar constituency, they said. “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. PTIPuducherry sees 37 per cent voter turnout so farApril 9, 2026 12:12 pmNew Delhi: The polling trends in the Union Territory of Puducherry showed a voter turnout of 37.06 per cent. ANIKerala sees 33.2 per cent turnout at 11 amApril 9, 2026 12:12 pmNew Delhi: The voter turnout in Kerala was 33.38 per cent at 11 am on Thursday. ANIAssam records 38.9 per cent voter turnout so farApril 9, 2026 12:12 pmNew Delhi: Voter turnout in Assam was recorded at 38.92 per cent, as of 11 am on Thursday. ANIPuducherry records 17.41 per cent voter turnout till 9 amApril 9, 2026 10:51 amPuducherry: Puducherry registered 17.41 per cent voter turnout by 9 am on Thursday as polling commenced in all 30 assembly constituencies. Key figures, including Lt Governor Kailashnathan, Chief Minister N Rangasamy, Home Minister A Namassivayam and Congress leader V Narayanasamy were among the early voters to exercise their franchise. PTIOver 16 per cent voter turnout recorded till 9 am in KeralaApril 9, 2026 10:36 amThiruvananthapuram: 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. PTIAssam records nearly 18 pc voter turnout in first two hours of assembly pollsApril 9, 2026 10:13 amGuwahati: A voter turnout of 17.87 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of the assembly elections in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is striving to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago. Polling began at 7 am for the 126-member assembly, and 17.87 per cent of the state’s 2.5 crore voters exercised their franchise till 9 am, officials said. PTIPM Modi appeals to people of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry to vote in large numbersApril 9, 2026 8:58 amNew Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to the people of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry to exercise their franchise in large numbers in the assembly elections in the two states and the Union Territory. In separate messages in English, besides Assamese, Malayalam and Tamil — the regional languages of Assam, Kerala and Puducherry respectively — PM Modi particularly requested the youth and the women to step forward and vote in large numbers. PTIVoting begins for Assam’s 126 assembly seatsApril 9, 2026 8:58 amGuwahati: Polling for all 126 Assam assembly constituencies began on Thursday to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates, officials said. In the high-stakes election, the ruling BJP is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress seeks to wrest power after being ousted in 2016. Polling, being held in a single phase, began at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. Long queues of voters were seen outside polling stations from early morning. An electorate of 2.50 crore, including 1.25 crore women and 318 from the third gender, can exercise their franchise in 31,490 polling stations across the state. PTIVoting begins in Puducherry amid tight securityApril 9, 2026 8:58 amPuducherry: Voting commenced amid tight security across the union territory of Puducherry on Thursday with 9.50 lakh voters set to decide the electoral fortunes of the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc. Voters lined up enthusiastically before the polling stations in Puducherry, and its enclaves of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam to exercise their franchise. Polling began at 7 am. The Union Territory has a total of 9.50 lakh voters spread over Puducherry (23 Assembly segments) Karaikal (five), Mahe and Yanam (having one constituency each). According to officials, the union territory has 1,099 polling stations and of them 209 have been identified as vulnerable and a total of 294 candidates are in the fray. PTIPolling begins in 140 Assembly seats in KeralaApril 9, 2026 8:58 amThiruvananthapuram: Polling in all the 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala commenced at 7 am on Thursday. The voting began after completion of mock polling. People started arriving early in the morning at the 30,495 polling stations in the state to avoid the hot weather that was likely to get worse as the day progressed. Polling was carried out amidst tight security arrangements which included deployment of over 76,000 security personnel and live monitoring of the election process by an extensive webcasting system. Around 2.71 crore voters will decide the fate of the 883 candidates who are contesting from the 140 Assembly constituencies in the state. PTI